The World Only The Girls Know: Azalea Side
by Wrathie Winsre
Summary: When the Wheels of Fate turn and the Memories of the 'Captured' Girls return, it's time for them to 'capture' the God in turn! Will he pay attention to the 'Real' Girls? Or will he reward the One closest to him instead?
1. Of a God, A Devil & The Girls

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 1: Of a God, A Devil and the Girls**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

Additional Notes: Azalea represents romance, first love, fragile passion and temperance.

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**Author's Notes: As it follows the Light Novels along with the Manga, there might be inconsistencies in some figures. Thank you _dongaro_ for the Beta-read and the Touch-up!**

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_I will not accede to any request by reality today, I am the **Capturing God;** and as God, I have to save all the Lost Lambs in the world who are in need of my advice._

_After all, I am the one who will save all the Heroines, I am the one who will reach the Ending before anyone else._

_That is my job and my role! Nothing can stop me!_

_The World that we seek is waiting for us! We have not reached the end of what can be achieved! There are so many possibilities waiting for every one of us to discover. _

_We do not need reality! This useless reality that has tied chains to us all, and thus reduced our lives into being so boring and repetitive._

_Reality is fixed, and the monotonous life bothers me. Why do we study? Why do we work? Why do we trudge the same path as a million other persons?_

_There must be a meaning for this nonsense… But the answer is not in this world, no, it cannot be found here…_

_All I need is the **other world**, in which you can call me God!_

_I need nothing else! You need nothing else besides this!_

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_That is what everyone should believe in, and which shall always be the eternal dream. After all, in this world, anyone can be the hero of the story!_

_So follow me, my lost Lambs, seek your happiness in this New World with me!_

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This story begins with a name, and my name is Elsea De Lute Irma.

To make it easier to explain, I have to introduce the world that I belong in as well.

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I am a demon from Hell. My job is to capture runaway spirits and bring them back to Hell where they belong.

In order to do that, I have a partner who is my Nii-san, Kami-nii-sama Katsuragi Keima. He is a God in the Human World known as "Otoshi-gami", or the **Capturing God.**

But Kami-nii-sama had never even held a girl's hands when I first met him!

But Kami-nii-sama is the greatest, as with his help, I've already captured 11 Runaway spirits within just half a year!

It is a great honor to work under Kami-nii-sama but troubling as well. For instance he really hates reality. He is the Capturing God but he is not interested in 3D girls at all!

But but but…! I must phrase myself better. 3D girls is a term he uses to describe real girls and 2D girls he uses to describe the Heroines in his games.

Right now, Kami-nii-sama is busy playing with his PFP again while I am cleaning the house.

Ohka-sama is busy preparing dinner right now and I am looking forward to the time when we gather to eat as Kami-nii-sama always ignores everything when he is playing his games.

That is his bad habit, but his eccentric behavior does not stop there.

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Kami-nii-sama is currently in his own world, in something he calls the Virtual PFP, it is a device that lets him play games through a headset.

I don't quite understand what Kami-nii-sama finds interesting in his games but from his expertise on games, he is able to help me capture Runaway Evil Spirits.

Although, I find it sad that Kami-nii-sama is always in his own world and I am unable to interest him in the real world at all. He seems so detached that I feel sad just looking at him gaming like this…

"Elsi~ Dinner is ready~"

Ah, Ohka-sama is ready with dinner! I was supposed to help with it, but Ohka-sama says it's her treat to me for working so hard in the café in the morning. Ohka-sama's name is Mari Katsuragi and she believes me to be an illegitimate child of Kami-Nii-sama's Father.

But in fact the letter proving my identity was forged by Branch Chief Docrow Skull for me to partner successfully with Kami-Onii-sama. I feel bad for Mari Ohka-san, but she seems to like me very much and I feel as part of the family as much as with my own family back in Hell.

Today Ohka-sama prepared Ramen for us and I really love Ramen!

There was one incident when a Runaway spirit possessed a girl who loved Ramen, and the struggle I have to eat Ramen that day was unheard of! I went around to six stores before I finally got to eat Ramen. Ramen! Delicious Ramen that I would never forget in my life.

Life is good here in the Human World, after the jam packed holidays we are once again going back to school.

That is the reason why Kami-Onii-sama is in his own world, as he has only three days to finish all his games he has not played over the summer.

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Besides the Ramen lover, Uemoto Sumire and Granny Rieko Hinaga, we captured one of our neighbor's runaway spirits as well, Ayukawa Tenri.

There is something odd about Tenri-san that I don't understand; a part of me hates her and a part of me likes her as well. It is an odd sensation that I get whenever I look at Tenri-san, that I feel like I am looking at another person at the same time.

But it is probably just my imagination playing around with me… Is Kami-onii-sama rubbing off me as well?

"Keima, it's time for dinner!~"

Ohka-sama is gently calling Onii-sama, but I doubt that she would be able to get him to eat dinner without a struggle. Ohka-sama was once part of a Biker gang and she is scary when she gets mad. Once she lets her hair down…

Oh wait, she did just that!

"K-kami-onii-sama?"

I nervously called out to him, but as expected he simply continued playing. Honestly, can't he just eat his meals normally? If he would just do that, and eat the lunch I prepared for him, I'd be very very happy~

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"Keima."

A sudden chill at the back of my head just when I reached a crucial flag in the game… curses, who is it that dares disturbs me? Do you not know that _she _is waiting for me?

Do you not know that **Rin **is waiting for me to save her? If I do not, who would be the one to save her from this harsh reality of her parents leaving her alone?

"Keima."

There it goes again, that annoying voice trying to pull me back to Reality.

But no, I refuse. Not today. The world is harsh and reality is even harsher. If I even let my guard down for a single second, I would be sucked bone dry.

Reality is slowly eroding my freedom… I will not tolerate any interruptions in the last few days of Summer!

"KEIMA!"

In the next second, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God**, was dragged out of his reality by his Mother who glowered at him angrily while pulling the headset of the _Virtual PFP_ off him.

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"Keima?"

"… At least let me save."

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In this world, there are Demons and there are Gods.

There are Good Spirits and there are Bad Spirits.

I know for sure as there is one in front of me right now.

My Sister Elsi, or Elsea De Lute Irma, is a Demon and not just any ordinary demon. She is a demon from the Runaway Spirit Squad and I am her collaborator.

As her collaborator, my task is to assist her in capturing all the Runaway Spirits who escaped hell. In addition to this impossible task, our fates are linked. If I break the contract, I will be beheaded and the same fate will befall Elsi.

Yes, our contract is as screwed up as that; it makes no sense… and it borders on reality.

I believe that by now all of you would have dismissed me as insane; but I have more to share.

Besides Demons and Spirits, I have myself met a Goddess.

But that's a story for another time.

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My name is Katsuragi Keima and as I mentioned earlier, I am the **Capturing God.** I am called such as I have never failed to capture any 'girl' that I wished to capture.

From **Rin**all the way to **Miyo, **I have captured over a thousand girls, unknown to Bad Ends nor to Failure…

However, I do not mean real girls. Real girls have nothing to be proud of. They do not have distinct personalities, they do not appreciate one's efforts, they make fun of others in a regular basis and most importantly of all...

All of them are so distinctively similar to one another. Following the same fashion trends and chasing the same boybands, with the same narrow minded mindset of people around them.

I have no interest in girls or the reality that holds them.

All I need are my games and the time to play them!

Thus my displeasure in being stuck in the real world; in the real world I require sustenance and to gain sustenance, I must eat…

Eating means wasting time; there could be so many things that I could do instead of eating! Especially when Dinner in my home is a serious affair...

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"Keima… you should finish up."  
And of all the things to have for dinner is to have Ramen. Looking at the dish in front of me, although Ramen is delicious, it is also filled with excessive oils and stock. This means that its cholesterol level is way off the charts.

But looking at Elsi gulping it down and praising mother for the good soup she made, I have no choice but to finish it as well.

"Naturally I will do that."

It is only a way to the means, as without sustenance I would not be able to play my games. Thus, it is a dastardly plan that I have no choice but to follow through with.

"Good boy, Keima… You really should help Elsi out in the Café, she does so much work and you're just playing your games."

Making casual talk as we eat dinner, I know that Mother does not actually mind the working arrangement between the three of us. Elsi is one of those girls that makes friends and bonds with others easily, but she is a natural klutz and airhead as well.

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If it was not for our contract I would never accept her as a Sister… even if we share the same blood, memories and her treatments of me like a big brother.

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In any case, this is the situation at hand right now. I, Katsuragi Keima, am awaiting the end of Summer Break and going back to school.

This summer has been a hectic one for me, and this has caused me to nearly lose my status as the **Capturing God**. However I have not relinquished that title, I am still the first Person to have finished capturing all the Heroines.

The title of God will not be challenged or taken by someone so easily while I am still breathing!

However, soon it is going to be the start of a new school term! That means I will be able to game to my leisure during class.

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Oh weep mortals whom have to attend class, as God, I do not have to pay attention to something as silly as classes; for as long as I remain in the Top of the Class, I do not have to spend time in this worthless reality for a single second.

After all, the teacher's lessons are boring and are not worth listening to in the first place.

Dry content from a dry teacher indeed!

What could go wrong by simply wishing for a small glimpse of my normal life in school as well?

With the arrival of Elsi into my life, she has successfully turned everything upside down. Both my personal life, my family life and my school life have had severe changes due to her intrusion into them.

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But I have taken it all in my stride, as much as I am able to anyway to retain some normalcy in my life.

All I wish is to now have sufficient games to retain my title as the Capturing God.

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**Author's Notes: Yes, it really is.**


	2. Of An Unexpected Beginning

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 2: Of an Unexpected Beginning**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Thank you to all those who supported the 1st chapter, I hope I won't let you down. R&R is appreciated~**

**I apologize for re-emphasizing some points in this chapter!  
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"Good Bye Ohka-sama~"

Energetically calling out to their 'Mother', Elsi followed Keima down the road towards school. Today would be the first day of the New Semester. After the hectic and sometimes troubling Summer Vacation, Elsi was a little glad and hesitant to return to school.

She had many friends at school and got along with her classmates and before the Summer ended, she had joined a Band that was set up by one of her good friends in class.

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Chihiro had claimed that it would be ideal for her to join as it is an expression of their youth.

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_"I feel that I should at least try, if I don't, then I'm letting myself down, right? Even if I'm bad at it, I'm the only Lead singer in my life!"_

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This was different from what Chihiro-chan had believed before Keima had 'captured' her and resolved the gap in her heart. He was responsible for the change in her and Elsi was glad that he had decided to help her out in end.

He was adamant that he did not want to deal with someone as 'commonplace' and ordinary as her… but in the end, he offered to help her if she felt discouraged.

Of course, Elsi did not understand how hard it was for him to actually 'capture' Chihiro. Many times he had felt like giving up due, but had persevered on solely due to her surprising him in each turn.

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"…"

But of course, he would never admit that. Each heroine that he 'captured', his view of reality has changed by a little. He has begun to acknowledge some of them, at least in part to the Heroines he had 'captured'.

They were to have their memory wipes but some residue of their feelings for him must have retained as they do approach him actively when previously they would never have done so.

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"Elsi-chan!"

Calling out to them was Ayumi Takahara, another one of their classmates and to Elsi, a special one as it was the first heroine that was 'captured' between her and Keima.

This marks her as the first and possibly the one who was the closes with the three of them, partly due to her energetic personality and easy-going attitude.

Unlike Chihiro, she gets along with everyone and is part of the Track and Field Team.

For Keima, her capture was significant as it marked the start of his decision to 'capture' every spirit with references and flags that he obtained from the games he played.

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"Good morning Elsi-chan~ How was your Summer~"

Holding both of Elsi's hands and shaking them up and down energetically, Ayumi was all smiles as she danced around with Elsi, who was just as delighted to meet her again.

They had not kept in close contact during the Summer due to their busy schedule and as she was helping out in the café and in her own job in catching the runaway spirits, had hardly went out.

"I enjoyed myself very much~ I even went to visit my Grandpa in the village~"

She recalled that was an enjoyable journey that was marked with the capture of her seventh runaway spirit as well as spending time with the Elders, who were wise and taught her many useful things.

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"That sounds fun! You look all ready for school eh? I wish Summer Break could be a bit longer though~"

Musing as she pouted with Elsi, Ayumi laughed when she suddenly slapped Keima on the back, causing him to choke and turn back to glare at her.

"What about you, Katsuragi, did you make trouble for Elsi?"

Eh? This is a new occurrence, why did she speak to him directly? And why was she making small talk with him?

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"Katsuragi? Hello? Are you still plugged in to that game of yours?"

Ayumi smiled naturally at him while Elsi just looked on, dumbstruck by what was happening in front of her. Was this an effect of the capture? But if it was, why did it manifest only now?

Or was it just Ayumi being friendly with Elsi around him?

"Firstly, would you please get your face out of mine?"

Speaking calmly to mask his shock, Keima brushed her off and took a few steps away from her before he stabilized himself and spoke calmly.

"Of course not, Takahara… Elsi is the one who was getting me into trouble."

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That was the truth but as he was replying, he was actually observing her closely. There were no signs of any outward change in her expression even when he was staring intently at her. To her, Katsuragi Keima was simply another student in her class or something more?

So was it just a coincidence that she was feeling good enough to approach him? It was not caused by the 'capture'?

After all, 'capturing' someone would involve in him making her fall in love with her in the process of filling up the gap in her heart.

And it would take a mutually agreed kiss between the two to drive the spirit off. It was embarrassing to admit but his first kiss was given to Takahara Ayumi.

Tsk, he should not get worked up over this, this is reality! Reality has no hold over him!

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"ehh? Are you sure it's not the other way around? Elsi-chan, if your worthless brother dares to bully you, tell me. I will make sure he get's it~"

Smiling cheerfully, Ayumi pulled the flustered Elsi with her in front of Keima as they hurried off to school, leaving the bespectacled boy shaking his head in disbelief. This was not happening to him in the first day of the term, he has many games to play, heroines to save. This was no time to be distracted by this random encounter!

This is all Reality's ploy to get him to pay attention to the world around him. If he falls for this trick, he will lose his title!

Get a grip, Katsuragi Keima!

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_Leaving Elsi alone as she waited for her brother, Ayumi took a deep breath by herself in the shoe lockers and slapped her own cheeks to encourage herself._

_It was tough to bring out the courage to talk to him normally just like that. She was not used to it after all but… but she had to try, she had to try and confirm her feelings._

_Now with her face red and her heart beating faster than ever before, Takahara Ayumi clutched her shirt and breathed in deeply._

_This wasn't a lie, this feeling that she felt in her heart that was threatening to overflow her was not a lie._

_Now that she confirmed it, what should she do next?_

_She wondered to herself as she smiled in a silly way, leaning against the lockers and twirling her fingers with each other._

_Since she had made the first move, should she just follow with the next one? Or would that scare him off?_

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As he stepped into school, Keima looked around in caution. There was a nagging feeling that he would meet someone that he did not want to meet today.

After signing the contract with Elsi, his perception of the world has changed, mostly in a negative manner. He would be fine being in his own reality, as he can ignore the rest of these peons around him and they would do the same to him.

But due to his 'job', capturing spirits, he has became more well known than before.

That is a burden to him, regardless of how others view him.

Right at this moment, he was reminded of something that he told Elsi a long long time ago.

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_"If a girl actively pursues you, there is something wrong. Like a hunter, one must always remember. [There is no such thing as a free lunch]. If something appears to be goo good to be true, it is most likely to be true. It is possible for a **BAD END **to be triggered from something mundane."_

The same words would apply to him now… he should tread carefully…

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As he walked down the hallway towards class, he heard whispers of people bad mouthing him and backing away from where he was heading. That was usual, he was never a popular person in school. Instead he was infamous for being a hard-core gamer and otaku.

It was a label he was happy to keep as it made a natural barrier that would stop people from trying to socialize with him. However, today it seemed that barrier was weakening or at least, the person in front of him had ignored it completely and was staring at him from the front door of his class.

"Ano… Good morning, K-katsuragi-san…"

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It was Yoshino Asami, a classmate of his and Keima nodded his head in acknowledgement. She was always a shy girl, silent and in a way, similar to him. Always alone and never quite finding her place in a group of friends, a person who prefers alone and yet at the same time, unable to live without being a crowd.

She was one of his 'captures' and one of the few times that he found it hard to identify what kind of 'heroine' she was. Yoshino Asami was after all, a normal girl in every way. Her twin sister, Yoshino Ikumi was the one that threw him off the right path but that was quickly rectified and he successfully expelled the evil spirit living in her heart.

Yes, she was one of the girls that he had 'captured'. She should have no memory of the events of the capture… but there was a small catch.

This girl, Yoshino Asami, was one of the only girls to have developed affection or a liking for him before her approach. That was why he was hesitant to encourage her.

It would be difficult for him if she feels that she has a chance to catch his attention.

But at the same time, it is difficult for him to ascertain whether the sudden courage that she had mustered to approach him was due to the past memories.

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"Erm, Katsuragi-san…"

She spoke to him again as he passed her on his way to his desk and he stopped for a moment despite himself. However he made no other sign that he was listening, instead focusing on the game he was playing. It was close, this Heroine would be 'saved' in no time.

Such a pity it would end so quickly, the soundtrack was great and the voice-acting was first class. If only the art was a little better.

"N-no, it's nothing…"

It seems that Asami was still a little shy and she backed away after she heard some of the classmates point and gossip about her. It is taboo to speak to the 'Otamegane' in class or anywhere else, A trend that was mirrored around the school. To be seen with him was odd, to be seen talking with him was odder and she would be labeled as weird as well.

Despite this, would she continue on-?

"Katsuragi-san!"

A surprise and he paused again briefly before raising his head from the PFP and looking at Asami. That is the least he could do to acknowledge her courage.

He had told her to ignore what others believe and live life the way she wants to, even if it means making others ignore or dislike her.

Did she remember all of that and approached him?

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"Ano…"

She approached him nervously and as she got closer Keima could feel himself getting uncomfortable. She was obviously nervous and from the very red hue covering her face, the way she was breathing told tons about her mental state.

Asami is on the verge of saying something very important to him and he suddenly felt like fleeing.

This is not happening, no flags were triggered prior to this. This must be a trap!

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"The class representative asked me to pass you this, it is regarding the upcoming School festival."

Asami handed him the slip of paper and slipped away as quietly as she had approached him, leaving the bespectacled boy breathing deeply in relief. So she was simply nervous that he would ignore her…

This has been an exceedingly long day for him.

Damn you reality, why must you torture me so?

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Katsuragi Keima, not for the first time in his life, wondered why is his life turning upside down again and at the same time, the cold reality of the collar that symbolized his contract with Elsi gave him the answer.

Curses, if he was not so concerned about this sudden abnormality, he would not be so flustered and bothered about how the girls are acting!

Yes, Ayumi and Asami are both girls that he would fancy, girls that are his _type _but even so… Get a grip!

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_The girl in question, Yoshino Asami nervously patted her own chest and then her cheeks. They were flushed red and burning. She would not be surprised if steam was coming out of her ears._

_"hah.. haah.. I-I'm still nervous…"_

_She told herself as she tried to calm her racing heart. Even when she swore to herself to speak to Katsuragi-san, seeing that handsome and mysterious face up close was too much for her heart to bear._

_Especially so when he was looking into her eyes, it was as if he knew why she was there, reading her mind and her heart._

_He really is gallant… perhaps what she dreamt so regularly about was not a dream after all._

_Nor was it a passing infatuation on her part. She really wanted to know more about him, why he can stand out among the others in such a unique way and yet… at the same time, seem so captivating to her._

_Yes, he is definitely a weirdo, but to her, it was that part of him that interests her the most._

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_What is the real Katsuragi Keima… the person she dreamt about during her slumber? Or someone totally unexpected?_

_Asami herself wished to find out… somehow, someway in her own little way._

_Even if it might take a long time._

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"Yo, Otamegane~"

As he sat down, he was conscious of another girl paying attention to him. The third in a row in the same day, this is definitely something that he did not wish to see. It seems like this is not a coincidence, he would discuss this with Elsi in a later time.

The girl in question is Kosaka Chihiro, another classmate of his and a good friend of Elsi and Ayumi. She too is another 'heroine' and although Keima is loathe to admit it, one of the few girls who has more character than he had believed.

One of those Wildcards that truly surprised him upon knowing more about her. Similar to Asami, Chihiro appears to one of those generic high-school students, spending time doing frivolous things like obsessing over idols, boys and shopping.

But that prove to be false, Chihiro was a girl with no interest in life despite her apparent zeal for life.

She has given up the hope of living a life that would spark her interest and would use any opportunity, any excuse to dive into something new and interesting.

It was her that influenced his mindset about reality the most…

A girl that was deeper than he had imagined.

With his help, Chihiro was able to rediscover her path in life, a path that she was happy and passionate about.

Hence the Band that she founded along with Ayumi and Elsi… 2B Pencils

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Right now, that troublesome woman was grinning at him from her table and he ignored her.

"Oi, Otamegane~!"

She tried again to rouse him with limited success.

"Oi oi, I am talking to you Otamegane!"

As noisy as always… but whatever she wished to talk about, it couldn't be anything good.

"Otamegane! Where's your sister!"

"With Ayumi."

He responded before he realized what he was saying, he was never close enough with Ayumi to say her name directly! But he recovered quickly and corrected himself.

"I believe so, Takahara took her away."

That was a slip of his throat, he must be more stressed out then he imagined to make a mistake like that.

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But there was no reply from Chihiro and from the corner of his eye, he saw her rubbing her chin oddly…

That expression…

It is of shock, definitely.

What is going on?

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**Author's Notes: Yoshino Asami appears in the Light Novel Version, Book 1, Heroine 2~**


	3. Through the Looking Glass

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 3: Through the Looking Glass**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: For those that did not caught on, Yoshino Asami is indeed from the Light Novel adaptation, she appears in the Novel Volume 1 as the second heroine.**

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_"…"_

_I am confused, very confused. The more I look at him the more frustrated I get, did that guy owe me something? No, that can't be… to be associated with the Otamegane would be a Sin in the first place! There was no way I am close to that creepy geek._

_So why am I so upset that he is calling Ayumi-chan so casually?_

_It is not like Ayumi-chan knows him well or anything… If anything, perhaps she knows him because of Elsi-chan. Elsi-chan is part of our band after all…_

_Though I hope she can get better in playing…_

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_He is unnerved, was I staring at him too intently? Oh gods, he's looking in this direction! I didn't think he would have the spare time to look back towards me!_

_"What's wrong, don't stare at me like Otamegane! I might get infected and get dumb and be useless to society."_

_… Not like he really is dumb, he gets better results than all of us… Without his help before, we wouldn't be able to form this Band in the first place. So he has definitely helped society, well, at least us._

_HEY WAIT! Why am I defending him from myself?_

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_Clutching her head, Chihiro slumped down to rest her head on her desk while Keima simply looked back to his game, seemingly unconcerned._

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_Hmph… it's not like I like him or anything… But where is Elsi or Ayumi? Those two are late! School is going to start! Please god let it start, I don't think I can stand the thought of myself thinking about him any longer! I want to see Elsi-chan's ditzy face and Ayumi-chan's cheerful optimism soon! _

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_"Good morning!"_

_Speaking of the devil, there they come!_

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_"Good morning, Ayumi-chan, Elsi-chan! How was your Summer Vacation?"_

_Smiling at them, they hurried over to my place where I pulled several seats from those empty seats and asked them to sit down. There is still some time before school and so we can chat to our heart's content now._

_"It's great! I and Kami-Onii-sama went to visit our Grandparents home in a village! They taught me many things!"_

_At least Elsi-chan is normal, but Ayumi-chan seems to be a little distracted today… was something on her mind?_

_"Ayumi-chan? Are you alright? Did you get a boyfriend over the summer?"_

_I grinned but to my astonishment she seemed to panic, waving her hands up repeatedly to say no while trying to hide her face._

_Ehhh? I've never seen her like that before! She always seems to get along well with both boys and girls, that's the same for Elsi and me._

_But Elsi seems to worship her brother, something that I would not be able to understand till the day I die._

_"Ohh? Looks like Ayumi-chan finally found her spring huh?"_

..

..

_Teasing her as I nudged her, I leaned closer while Elsi-chan just seemed shocked and was covering her mouth with her hands. Among the three of us, Elsi-chan is the most naïve and innocent about boys, even if she gets along well with them._

_Many boys have dropped hints about liking her but she remains painfully oblivious to them._

_… why am I suddenly mad again?_

_..  
_

_"N-no! Of course not! I had a good summer! What about you Chihiro-chan! Did you finally find your Spring too? Haha~"_

_She is trying to change the subject as she waved it off nervously, looking away and.. towards Katsuragi._

_Wait a minute… Did she? No way… she can't, towards Katsuragi?_

_"Oi, Ayumi! Stop changing the subject! You really met someone special? Is it someone we know? Hey hey, Elsi-chan, help me here!"_

_I asked her nervously, trying to appear normal as I patted her shoulders and she wheeled back to look at me again, her face flushed redder than before and I felt a sinking feeling in my heart._

..

..

_Katsuragi? Is that for real? Did Ayumi… really went out with Katsuragi? But, but if they went out together… that might explain why Katsuragi called her Ayumi instead of Takahara like he did before the break!_

_"No! I really didn't, Chihiro…" she denied it weakly, a strange look in her eyes as she tore herself away from looking at him._

_She is lying, obviously she is lying!_

_

* * *

_

_.._

_..  
_

Unaware of the mental struggle behind him, Katsuragi Keima was busy gaming. Or so he seemed to the rest of the class. Him gaming was normal and with a speed that was never seen before and befitting of his title, he was speeding through the game in his hands.

However, the content and the music was not soothing him as they should be. He was tired and frustrated with the events that were happening since Morning. It is surely not a coincidence that something was changing. The world is changing, the world has always been changing. But this current change is not normal. It made him realize that besides this world, there might be other powers at work. It might be Hell… or those who wishes to revive Former Hell at work.

Either way, he must speak to Elsi or if he has no choice, Haqua…

He would not prefer the latter if he could, but Haqua was more dependable than Elsi, even if she finds her attitude to him to be odd at times.

..

..

He made up his mind fast as the Homeroom teacher, Nikaido Yuri stepped into class. He would have to verify all of the other 'captured' heroines for anomalies before he would contact Haqua or to some extent, convince Elsi.

If it is just a fluke, it would be a precaution at best. If not… then there might be a need for the three of them to find out what's wrong.

* * *

..

..

"Kami-Onii-sama!"

The cheerful voice of Elsi reverberated around the classroom. It was a normal day in school and with Elsi being in school for a term, they were used to seeing Elsi bring her brother his boxed lunch.

Even though her idea of a boxed lunch is always something exotic that would make Keima run away in fear.

However, if they knew what it truly was, they would be panicking as well.

Today's boxed lunch was Eel, but it was Eel from hell, literally as the Eels who were still alive glared at Keima. With four eyes and two heads, they wriggled from the box that Elsi handed over to him and despite himself, he retreated from his seat in an instant.

It was too dangerous, if this woman would just learn some common sense, he would be living a much more normal life than now! Pity she was an air-head and doesn't understand why this is not normal food!

Curses, the curry rice she made when cursing someone was much better than this… thing!

..

..

"Kami-Onii-sama~ Elsi will make sure you sample her food today! It's good, really good! I spent a few hours making sure it's cooked to perfection! The seasoning is very good too!"

"Then why is it alive?"

"Ehh? So it'll be fresh! You eat Raw Fish(Sashimi) right? So why not this?"

There are so many things to retort to that that Keima was overwhelmed till she approached with a glint in her eyes.

Today, she was serious about forcing him to eat and he feared for his life.

..

..

* * *

..

..

Thus his hurried retreat from the room, if Elsi caught hold of him, he would surely be fighting for his life!

"Ah, Katsuragi-san…"

As he left, he swore he heard a small voice call out to him but right now, he was in fear of his life and ignored it.

It was a potential flag and a clue, but if he leaves this world, the Heroines would never be safe!

Wait for me, I would save you soon!

He swore as he sped from the classroom in record speed, leaving Elsi calling his name behind him.

..

..

"Kami-Onii-sama!"

Pouting as he made his escape, Elsi sighed as she slowly wrapped up the struggling bento in her hands. She had looked forward to seeing him eat and praise her about this lunch. She was especially confidence as Ohka-sama had told her that Keima seemed to like Unagi… but was it too weird for him to eat Hell's food? But Hell's food are always so energetic and they give her so much energy!

Mm, she must try harder to ensure he samples the food!

She has always tried to conceal the real identity with her magical raiment but Kami-Onii-sama seems to be able to see right through it… it must be his ability as a God to see through her disguises? Or was it due to the contract?

..

..

Downcast as she was, she noticed the girl who wanted to talk to Keima as he dashed out of the room. It was Yoshino Asami, a girl who they had captured together…

"Asami-chan?"

She approached her cheerfully, did she wanted to say something to him? If that was so, it was her duty as his sister to help relay the message!

"A-ah, Elsi-chan…"

She started, was she looking to speak to Keima? Asami seemed to be as downcast as she and Elsi noticed that like her, she was holding a wrapped box in her hands.

"Did you wanted to talk to Kami-Onii-sama? Did Iincho-san asked you to pass him a message? I can take it to him if you want to~"

Cheerfully she offered but Asami shrank away from her and shook her head.

"N-no.. it's really nothing! I-I… I have to go now!"

Like her brother, Asami seems to wish to escape from her and ran away hurriedly… Was she so unpopular? ;_;

..

..

* * *

..

..

"…"

Walking down the hallway in an attempt to escape Elsi's wrath, Keima paused between his game as he saw another of his 'captures'. This time it was a senior from his school, Kasuga Kusonoki and the head of the Female Karate Club. As her memory modification was imperfect, she has always borne a grudge against him for escaping from the dojo in the midst of his stint there.

That worked to his advantage however and she has since ignored him… her capture was surprisingly easy but one of the few times he has to do many embarrassing things with her.

For instance, going on a real date with her was more mentally tiring than he or she imagined as she has to dress up in a very feminine manner that drew attention to them no matter where they went.

..

..

She was secretly unable to reconcile the wish in her heart to be feminine and the external pressures and responsibility to have a tough and manly exterior due to her being the successor to the Dojo.

With her as the remaining successor, if she showed weakness it would bring tarnish to her Dojo.

However with his help, she decided to allow some concession and be feminine again after she achieved her goal to be strong.

..

..

Today however, Kusonoki was caressing a small kitten in her hands while at the same time punishing a group of students. It was similar to how he met her, he was being beaten up by some random punks who Elsi had riled off and she had came to his 'aid' before dismissing him as weak.

Right now they were apologizing to her while bowing to her repeatedly as she nodded her head in satisfaction. The kitten was a nice touch, it shows how she was embracing both sides at the same time as it purred and she smiled back sweetly at it.

That would never have happened before Keima 'captured' Kusonoki, or to be exact, the feminine side of her and he nodded. There was no anomaly there at all.

If she would keep embracing that ideal, there was no reason for a relapse of the previous situation.

..

..

"Let us go now~"

Watching the punks leave with their tails between their legs, Kusonoki nodded and gently stroke the kitten's head before turning to head back to class when she stopped, eyes widening at the boy who was observing them from the distance.

That face, she could not be mistaken. It was the one who abandoned the dojo and her in the middle of her training regime!

W-wait a minute, why did she add 'her' as well? Was she mad because he abandoned her to manage the dojo by herself? That could be it…

"K-katsuragi, was it?"

She asked as she walked towards him like it did not matter to him what his name was. But she wanted to know his name, not his family name.

Strange, she could not remember his name… but the Kitten, he remembers him as he struggled to jump out of her embrace to greet him, purring as he sighed and picked it up.

"here."

..

..

Even his voice made her calm down and she found herself staring at him for a few seconds, taking nervous breaths and stepping closer to him.

"Y-you're name… may I know your name?"

She asked breathlessly and the boy in front of him sighed for a moment before turning away and replying without looking at her, engrossed in the game console in his hands.

But even that few seconds that he made eye contact with her was enough to tell her one thing, this boy was someone special to her.

"Katsuragi Keima…"

..

..

* * *

..

..

The boy in question had a headache, a very throbbing and strong one. This was getting out of hand, why must he trigger so many flags in the same day? The flag earlier, Kasuga Kusonoki was obviously curious about him and why did he has to encourage her?

Was he concerned about her situation? She seemed fine and even doing better than what he expected… what did he gain from telling her his name?

But the deed was done, he had acted on impulse just like what a Capturing God should do to a heroine.

If it was really the Memories from the 'Capture' that was making them react this way… Haqua should definitely be contacted!

* * *

..

..

"Haqua…"

Finding her email, Keina sent her a quick email asking her to meet him after school from his PFP while ascending the steps towards the rooftop of another block.

This was the favorite dwelling of another girl that he had 'captured', he would like to lie low but he caught sight of Elsi going towards a popular haunt of his. If he was caught now, the effort earlier would be wasted!

..

Reaching the roof, he took a deep breath and entered… there, as he had expected, was the girl that he knew would be there.

A petite girl with hair that reflected that she was probably foreign and with a doll that she held tenderly in her hands…

Kujyo Tsukiyo…

Will she revert as well? Or will she, who rejects and has no interest in reality like him, be immune?

..

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R if you have the time =)**


	4. Flags, Triggered!

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 4: Flags, Triggered!**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes:**

**To [Just a Fan], Thank you for your review. I would answer your questions but I have no return email =P**

**If you do wish to have a reply, feel free to email me.**

**Thanks for all of your support, just fyi, this is just one arc out of three that I plan to finish. Please give me the dedication and inspiration to finish all three!**

**..**

**..  
**

Kujyo Tsukiyo, a girl with foreign blood in her veins. She is a petite and anti-social girl that is always seen with her doll, Luna resting around the school rooftops.

As the President of the Astronomy Club, she is always seen in possession of a powerful telescope that she stares at the night sky with.  
Elsi herself has noted several similarities between her and Keima, which he himself had grudgingly accepted.

Both of them detest reality, the reality that they are born in. Although they had different reasons to hate reality, they both share the same dream of leaving this reality for another one.

For Tsukiyo, her reasons to hate reality was of her dislike and dissatisfaction with reality and it's annoying emotions which appears to be tarnishing her view of an ideal world. Her wish is to leave this world and live in the mood, as childish as it may be.

..

..

For Keima, his dislike for reality is for it's relentless attempts to drag him back to the cruel reality of the world. In this world he must keep on advancing and progressing, just like the Heroines he had 'captured' even though he prefers being in this 'current' situation.

And his wish is to join Yokkyun in his own heaven of Bishojo games… as embarrassing as that is to admit…

And besides Elsi, there were three others who knew of that embarrassing fact. Curses, why was he daydreaming in front of her?

..

..

"Is there something that you require here?"

Tsukiyo responded first as she looked away from the telescope towards Keima. It was his plan to visit this place to check on this girl that he had 'captured' but as to what to do from now on, he was not sure.

She seemed fine, perhaps she did not recover or retain any memories from her 'capture' after all. Her capture was exceedingly dangerous in the final stages as he had dived off the school roof to save her from certain death.

It was partly her fault but he has to share the blame as well for trying to trick her. But in the end all turned out well, he 'captured' her and removed the evil spirit and at the same time, created a reason for her to show interest in this world and to continue living in it despite it's faults.

"No, not really. I was just looking for a place to rest."

He looked away from her as he continued to play his game, it seems that for her at least, he would not need to worry.

"… what are you playing?"

..

..

A sudden question as he walked passed her to check on the courtyard, searching for the next of his 'captured' girls, Keima turned back to Tsukiyo who had left her seat on the bench with her telescope to stand behind him.

It would be normal, if she had not left her doll, "Luna", behind her and that made Keima took note as she slowly joined him on the railings.

This was the exact spot where she had fallen off and he had jumped off to try and save her. Would this trigger the memory of them spending time together?

..

..

"Just a game. You would have no interest in it."

Answering her curtly, he was about to turn away when Tsukiyo placed a hand on the PFP to stop him from moving it away.

"Perhaps, but I am collecting 'beautiful' things. Perhaps this is one of those 'beautiful' things?"

Curses, he is playing Yokkyun's game right now. This woman had the cheek to laugh at her before but he could endure it then as she was a 'target'… right now he has no qualms in shouting back at her if she insulted Yokkyun!

"…"

Staring at the image of Yokkyun, Tsukiyo had a blank expression on her face as Keima looked at her for a reaction. Slowly as if by magic, a small smile crept up on the edges as if she was preparing to laugh and Keima resigned himself to be mocked for his choice.

It was not his fault Yokkyun has bard art, it is all the designer's fault. Past games have pitiful art, but they might have the best content as well.

"Ahah… I guess, this can be called a 'beautiful' thing as well, at least in your eyes."

..

..

Wait, did she just praise him?

Turning back to look at Tsukiyo, Keima saw her smiling at the image on the PFP.

"Am I not right? Do you not think it beautiful if you are playing it?"

"Yes, she is Perfect!"

He is thankful she is moving on, embracing the views of others and not living in her own world. But what is this feeling inside him that feels like she has betrayed him!

"Hardly perfect.."

Tsukiyo coughed in a dignified manner and then asked for his name.

"… Katsuragi."

"Ah… Katsugari-san?"

She seemed to have noticed something about him and she turned away suddenly as she looked from the rooftop and then back to him.

"Katsuragi-san."

"Yes?"

He was nervous, this is obviously a flag. A very obvious flag that would determine his fate and relationship with this girl in front of him.

"Do you… like dolls? I like dolls, they are beautiful and thus is worth collecting. What about you? Do you like dolls?"

..

..

In his mind, Keima knew he had only two options.

* * *

**- Yes**

**- No**

* * *

Or perhaps a third hidden option achieved when you press below No.

* * *

**- Maybe**

**

* * *

**

..

..

The logically correct answer to not get involved with this girl is obviously Option 2, "No".

Ah, real life is quite boring, to think that this is the only challenge that was given to him, the 'Capturing God'!

Obviously this is a trick question, the answer would be none of them!

..

..

"I don't know… I've never actually played or touched a doll before."

Replying that, he took his leave urgently, leaving Kukyo Tsukiyo behind him looking at his retreating form with downcast eyes.

"Is that so…? Perhaps I… have the… wrong person?"

* * *

..

..

_Katsuragi Keima, a name that I am not familiar with but the image that he showed to me on the PFP, the game console of his, was familiar._

_It is not beautiful, no, it cannot be claimed to be beautiful. But at least, to him, it was beautiful._

_Someone showed it that image before and that someone was with me on the roof in a bright full moon night. Was he the one who was with me?_

_He might have denied it, but perhaps I was at fault for not being brave enough to confront him about the truth and allowed him to escape._

_.._

_..  
_

_Returning to my seat with Luna, I looked at the telescope that I had packed back into a box and I wordlessly kicked it to the side._

_This is not the time for viewing the stars or the sky… I must know, I must be sure._

_His view of the World was beautiful, he reached out to offer me a glimpse of it with him._

_If this pair of eyes is unable to see how beautiful the world is, then perhaps with two we can see truly, how beautiful it can be._

..

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* * *

..

..

It was a narrow escape from Tsukiyo and Keima took a breath to settle himself before going down the stairs again. Besides avoiding Elsi, he has to pay a visit to all of the other girls as well. Just to play safe…

He had not even considered such a possibility happening, the memory modification of Hell is supposed to be help prevent such situations from happening. But Keima more than anyone else, knew that Hell has it's own screwups.

Take Elsi for example, for someone like her to be part of the Spirit Hunter Squad, it really boggles the mind.

There is also a severe lack of manpower in Hell itself, with so much problems, it is a miracle something like this has not happened before.

"I still lack information…"

Even if Keima is a genius, he must have something to work with to form a thesis as to what is happening. The most obvious solution was that someone in Hell screwed up.

As neither Elsi nor Haqua had explained to him how the memory modification was done, he had assumed that the memory modification was only limited to the time where they detect the spirit and till they capture it.

That theory makes more sense than assuming that all memories from when they are possessed till the spirits were removed are modified and changed by the members of hell.

That would lead to many inconsistencies in their memory and from what Keima can tell of how Hell operates, their cover would be blown eventually.

..

..

"… But they do modify the memories of those who are related to the target. With so much work…"

He himself cannot even begin to consider how hard it is to modify and make everyone's history and memories consistent with one another and at the same time, avoid suspicion that memory modification even happened in the first place.

"So hell does have it's job cut out for them…"

He has never once paid attention or truly studied how the girl's memory was modified, in hindsight he should have tried to learn more from Haqua or Elsi but it seems he has taken such a convenient thing for granted.

"Tsk…"

But he is God, he should not be worrying about this. He should simply leave it to those in charge, like Haqua or Elsi… yes, that is indeed what he should do.

..

..

"… ugh…"

But he was hungry, neglecting his body is never a good thing. Even if he does not admit it, his body physically exists in this plane. Without food he cannot survive and as a result, he cannot game as well.

Looking at his watch, it seems that he still have sufficient time to collect some bread… it seems that he can kill two birds with one stone if he visited there anyway…

* * *

..

..

Finding his way to the back of the school where 'Outside Bread' is located, Keima took his time as he kept his eyes glued on the screen and yet skim through the crowd for the signature blonde hair.

She should be here, Aoyama Mio should be in this crowd somewhere as this is where he first found her in the first place, this can be called her 'designated area', the area where he should head to if he wanted to meet her.

For Kujyo Tsukiyo, that would be the rooftop that he just came from…

"…"

Of course, that is in the Game world, the chances of him meeting her here are minute at best, in a world where people are free to come and go, it is hardly easy to expect him to meet her in the first attempt.

..

..

"You there."

… looks like he stands to be corrected as when Keima turned towards the voice slowly, his eyes still glued to the screen, the first thing he saw was the signature blonde hair of the girl she was seeking for.

Aoyama Mio, his second 'capture' and one that cemented his decision to capture all of his future 'heroines' just like how he did in the games.

He is the _Capturing God, Otoshi-gami, _no girls can escape his grasp if he would just put his mind to it.

"?"

Not responding to her, Keima acted disinterested and was about to turn away when the voice spoke again. She was a petite girl, short and blonde and a classic _tsundere_ girl who hides her weakness with a tough and thorny exterior.

That he was certain and he was glad he was right, proving to Elsi and himself that unorthodox methods to 'capture' those girls are still possible.

And of course, that it is possible for even him, the infamous Otamegane to make girls fall in love with him.

..

..

"I said, you there, you."

Stubbornly, Aoyama Mio walked towards him from where she was standing earlier. She never changed much since his 'capture' of her, she retains her stuck-up attitude and pride but has accepted the fact that she is no longer a rich-girl. He has wondered how she would get along in class but from the looks of things, she is doing well if she has the free time to just stand there, arms crossed and glaring at her.

"Yes? If you want change, I don't have enough to change…"

He answered lazily as he queued up to buy bread, at this time there would likely be nothing left besides anpan bread…

"Do you want this… I bought too much and I can't finish it. If I can't finish it… It'll go bad so…"

He must have misheard her, what did she say?

..

..

Holding an Omusuba bread in her hands and offering it to him, Aoyama Mio was looking at him seriously, her face flushed just like how Ayumi looked when she was looking at him and Keima was floored.

This is impossible, is this girl affected as well? Is she not a _tsundere_? Why is she displaying her 'derey-derey' side so soon?

For the unacquainted, a tsundere girl would act terrible or at least show no signs of affection towards the person she is interested in.

..

..

That is called the 'tsun-tsun' part of her, a part where she would rather die than admit liking a person, even if all hints point towards a secret affection towards that person.

The other half of a _tsundere_ person is the 'derey-derey' part, where her affection for a person would go beyond what she would normally do and would display surprising acts of kindness and tenderness.

Exactly what was happening right now.

..

..

If the Aoyama Mio from earlier on was the 'tsun-tsun' Mio, where she was addressing him rudely, this is the 'derey-derey' Mio, who is offering him the Omusoba Bread of her own free will.

"…"

..

..

As she is not as well-off as before, he would imagine that Omusoba bread, a special type of bread that 'Outside Bread' prepares with Yakisoba wrapped with egg… would actually be a luxury for her.

Looking closely, he could see that she was fidgeting and nervous, it must have taken courage for her to come and talk to him out of the blue… if he was a stranger.

If she retained the memories of the time they spent together, it might be vastly different.

"Don't get me wrong! It's not like I really wanted to give it to you or anything! I bought extra and I just can't finish it and you looked like you were hungry and… that's why! Just take it already!"

Flushing redder and getting more flustered by the second, Mio really is in her tsundere state.

But Keima knew he could not do that, this flag has already triggered no matter what his decision is.

..

..

It is like a pre-planned event for him, an event that he would see no matter what course he takes. What's left is just making sure their relationship maintains in a good note, enabling him to approach her again.

"I won't take it."

"Eh?"

Mio seemed shocked and was about to ask why when Keima just smiled, pushing his hair back and pushing the bread back to her while tearing his eyes away from the PFP to look at her.

"The Princess must eat as well; I humbly decline your offer and offer it back to you instead. Please, it is not good to diet in an empty stomach."

She has not ate, that was obvious from the start and as Mio flushed red, clutching the Omusoba bread in her hands like a weapon, Keima was gone before she could react to her, dashing into the crowd and avoiding her.

..

..

"… at least, I handled that well."

Did he handle that well? Keima honestly did not know. But from his viewpoint, Mio looking around anxiously trying to locate him while clutching the bread against her chest, is a good sign that she was still looking out for him.

"… tsk, this is getting trickier and trickier by the minute!"

Keima sighed, this is truly such a bad day!

* * *

**Author's Notes: Somehow I've managed to arrange the Heroines in: Classmates, Tsundere's without me noticing =x**


	5. Predetermined Paths

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 5: Predetermined Paths**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Thank you for all your reviews, Faves and Alerts, it motivates me really =) If there any questions you would like to ask, feel free to leave a review or a PM. If I do not answer before a new update, that means the answer will be revealed in a positive way =)**

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_"The Princess must eat as well; I humbly decline your offer and offer it back to you instead. Please, it is not good to diet in an empty stomach."_

_W-why who does he think he is?_

_I, Aoyama Mio do not wish to give something to… to that peon! That's right! Why did I give him that in the first place?_

_ But before I could tell him that, that boy had disappeared in front of me, leaving me gaping and looking all around for any traces of him, if he calls me Princess, why don't he treats me like one?_

_Wait a minute, why am I happy that he calls me a princess? Does he know who I was before Papa… passed away?_

_Well, I am indeed the daughter of the President of Aoyama Central Industry! I can be called the Aoyama Princess if he wishes to call me that!_

_.._

_..  
_

_"Geez! Why am I talking to a peon like this…"_

_But oddly, I found myself and my eyes guided to him the moment I left 'Outside Bread'. Was it due to the fact that prior to this, he was previously striking to everyone?_

_Amongst all the peons, he was the only one who was without a friend, without someone to talk to and most importantly, was one that was not so noisy and self-centered. He didn't seem to have a care in the world as he stared at his game console._

_Was that why I approached him?_

_.._

_..  
_

_"… Ah, lunch."_

_Hearing my stomach grumble, I ran back to class while eating the Omusuba thoughtfully and slowly._

_"No… that's not it."_

_He reminded me of something, something that I felt some time before… before I got pass Papa's death. That's right, it is an odd feeling that made my chest constrict and my face turn red._

_I even felt my legs go a little weak when I thought about that. Did he comfort me during that time or did he do something to help me?_

_I seem to remember… something._

_But I cannot remember what exactly… that is certainly odd._

_I would normally not wish to associate with peons, especially one like him…_

_But I have nary other choice but to live in peace and associate with them. Even so, he is still unique among all of them. Some of them are good and nice and some of them just wishes to approach me of my 'wealth'._

_… Still, some of them are truly my friends. Is he one of those too?_

_.._

_..  
_

_

* * *

_

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Giving up on her search to find Keima, Elsi had hurried off towards the library after sadly eating the lunch. Chihiro and Ayumi were with her but they wanted to rest before class started and thus she was alone as she strode down the alleyway towards the return counter.

In her hands were many different books, all containing content about Fire Engines.

It was those books that Shiomiya Shiori recommended to her and after devouring each one by one, it was time for her to return some of those.

Was it fate? Or was it bad luck that the same librarian, who Keima had captured as his Third target, was on duty on that exact same day?

..

..

Shiomiya Shiori is a quiet girl, a girl that never quite spoke in front of anyone. It was quite impossible to get a word out of her even from her fellow Library Club members and as a result, her opinions were always bottled inside her.

Born with a fear of speaking out of her views, the girl retreated into her own heart, a fortress of solitude in the library.

If it was not for Keima, who 'seen' the ending from quite early on, Shiomiya Shiori would never have been 'captured'.

..

..

To hear the voice of her heart, something that is impossible in real life, Keima had to aggravate her by voicing out his opinions of the books and the library that she cherished.

Elsi was initially unhappy but gradually got used to Keima's methods in learning of the weakness of the girls.

Or as he placed it, the 'Event' of the Girl's route.

Each girl has their own 'Route' in the game and in each 'Route' there would be 'flags' and 'Key Events'. That is always the norm and up till now, Keima has been right in every count.

It made Elsi a little worried for him the moment he started to aggravate Shiori, making her seem like hating him.

But again, as the _God _stated, there is a fine thin line between Love and Hate.

"Haiz… I hope no one really hates Kami-Nii-sama because of his harsh words…"

He is always a little cold to everyone, but he is actually very warm and gentle behind that cold exterior. After all, he was willing to go into so much effort to help me 'capture' all those evil spirits and save all those girls.

..

..

In the End, it took a while but Keima successfully 'captured' Shiori by listening to her heart's voice and understanding the true motive of her 'event' and helping her find the voice that she has lost.

All she needed was some confidence to start speaking again and bit by bit she has spoken up, even if sometimes she seems to have problems with pronunciation and stopping…

"Ah~"

Seeing Shiori sit in the counter, Elsi hurried over and deposited the books she had brought on the table.

"Good Afternoon, I want to return these books."

..

..

Elsi is not as silly as her looks or how Keima claims her to be, she is still a Member of the Spirit Capturing Squad and knows the rules.

She must not trigger any of the modified memory by referring to any connection between them in the duration of the capture as this would create confusion and might actually disrupt the memory modification and allow them to remember slight details.

A tiny crack in a dam might result in the whole dam collapsing by itself in due course. As a responsible member of the Spirit Squad, Elsi follows the rules diligently and instead used a list that she had copied previously and asked Shiori for the locations of those books once again.

..

..

"Please wait."

Nodding as she took the book, Shiori slowly read the list even though a brand new computer was whirring beside her. It seems that she is one of those girls who are not influenced or wish to use technology.

"Hai Hai~~"

Elsi was excited to know more about fire engines, why did she like fire engines? God only knows…

"Ano…"

Lost in her dream filled with Fire Engines, Elsi blinked as Shiori was staring at her intently as she leaned across the desk, their nose almost touching each other before she blinked and Elsi took a few steps back in surprise. She did not expect someone like Shiori to be so direct and it took a moment for her to react.

"Hai?"

"D-do… you have a brother? You… seemed familiar…"

"Ah ye-"

She stopped herself too late and Elsi fidgeted awkwardly as she looked for a way to escape. That was too close, she almost made it slip that she did have one.

From the way Shiori was acting, she must have remembered something about the duration of the capture.

"Ahahaha… why do you ask that?"

"… "

It was Shiori's turn to fidget and it took her a while before she did speak and by then, another unfortunate event occurred.

..

..

**"I think… I think I know your brother!"**  
She managed to squeeze that fact out in a louder than usual voice and although Elsi had no intent of answering, someone else did.

"Ah, you know Keima? That's odd; I didn't know he had any friends beside Elsi-chan."

It was Haqua or to be exact, Haqua e Lute Irma. She is like Elsi, a Demon from New Hell and a part of the Spirit Capturing Squad like her.

Haqua is a much more proficient and better trained demon than Elsi, the top student of her cohort and as a result, was gifted a Scythe that symbolized that.

She was carrying that same Scythe as mentioned above in the Library and Shiori, after nodding her head in what seemed to be relief, turned stiff and looked at it in fear, shivering like a leaf.

She was never a courageous girl and seeing something like this in the library, was at a loss to what to do.

..

..

"So, how did you know Keima? Did he do something to you?"

Even as she acted like she did not really care, Haqua leaned closer to the Shiori even as she backed away in fear of this scythe wielding woman.

"Ahh~~ Haqua!"

Recovering her senses, Elsi suddenly grabbed hold of Haqua by the back of her clothes and then took off, bowing to Shiori as they left in a hurry.

"Ano… I'll get the books from you another day!"

* * *

..

..

"Geez, what is the rush, Elsi! I wanted to know more about how she-"

"Why are you here, Haqua! But… but Shh! That girl is one of Kami-Onii-sama's 'captures'! If she remembers something about what he did, isn't that a violation of the rules of New Hell! We'll all be punished if something bad like that happens!"

Shushing her, Haqua was first overwhelmed with what she saw, a phenomenon known as: _[Elsi being right and Haqua wrong]_ that was surely a figment of her imagination and she laughed out loud, slapping her knees in amusement till Elsi tried again, this time exasperated by her behavior.

..

..

"Geez! Haqua! She really seems to have remembered something already!"

Hearing that, Haqua stopped laughing and turned serious. Rubbing her chin, she verified the email that had received from Keima and thought carefully.

It would need something very serious for Keima to call upon Haqua personally and neglecting to inform Elsi.

That means that it was something Keima foresee that Elsi would not be of help with and is a very serious manner.

Although the Demon felt that happy that Keima trusted her that much, it made her a wee bit upset that Keima would not call her over for something other than work and she sighed.

"… We don't know that for sure, so just keep calm for now, Elsi."

Patting her head, Haqua looked back in the direction where they had came from and hoped that Elsi, like what she usually does, is wrong.

* * *

..

..

"…"

Sitting in the receptionist table, Shiori lay face down on her private notepad. It was the notepad that she uses to pen down a small novel. The small novel has herself as the heroine and it was based on a small, fuzzy memory dream or memory she had that fateful day where she rebelled against the system.

It was odd that she could not remember something that was obviously so important to her and she had struggled to write many portions of the story.

However, there was a small part that she does remember and that part she was able to write in avid detail. That part of someone very precious with her that gave her the confidence and the willpower to carry out her plan.

The name of that someone has eluded her but today, it had came to her as she was penning down another part of that small novel, fishing in her mind that obscured dream that she didn't realize it at first.

..

..

_"Katsuragi…Keima…?"_

..

..

She was penning the part where they first introduced each other, in this precious library while exchanging books and as she was reading back to what she had written, she had noticed that she had written that name out as if it was something natural and that it was something she knew all along.

Did something or someone jolt her memory to allow her to remember? But that name was right, she knew in her heart and she thanked the gods for that small miracle.

..

..

Slowly checking the logs of returns and borrowings, she had noticed a familiar name in the record books.

"Katsuragi… Elsi?"

A girl with the same family name, perhaps now she can be sure. That person was here, in this school and by luck she ran into that person when she was on duty today.

Yes… it was all luck and fate.

Perhaps luck and fate would allow her a chance to speak to him again?

That person… who took and gave something precious from her at the same time.

* * *

..

..

"Ah…"

It seems that Katsuragi Keima's trials and tribulations was not over today as he returned unscathed but hungry from his pre-determined journey of various heroines. He had the nagging feeling that this was a joke and he was being steered along this path by a bad game designer…

"Whoever you are, what have I done to you?"

(**Author's Notes: Nothing personal Keima, just be glad I didn't throw in KEY's Characters as a crossover fic =P)**

..

..

He asked the gods as he took a quick step back from the corridor that led to his class.

The reason for his retreat was the brown haired girl peeping into the class from the corridor. It would be a normal occurrence, if only that girl was not from his school and instead from Junior High. In short, she was his junior and he was her senior.

It was rare for someone like that to actually come to the building that housed the High School and even rarer to see one looking for a senior like this.

In short, she was the center of all the attention here and Keima had to avoid her at all cost.

It was another one of his captures and one that he was actually quite attached to besides Ayumi, Chihiro and Nakagawa Kanon.

The latter three as they either came from his classroom, shared a close bond with Elsi or has shaken his belief in the 'real' world by a very huge factor.

Her name was Ikoma Minami and right now surely she was looking for him… and he has to avoid her at any cost.

..

..

"Tsk…"

The reason was simple, Ikoma Minami was captured easily due to his status as her sempai. By making Minami build up his own image by herself, he was able to make her fall in love with the image of a imperfect and yet perfect senior that she slowly and painstakingly put together.

In short, she was perhaps the only person that he 'captured' so far to view his faults, his virtues, his true inner self and the outer mask and yet fall in love with him anyway.

Yes, he did his best to advance the relationship by creating a very impactful first impression for her and along the way, influenced her decision by showing a gentle side of himself only to her.

That all helped, but ultimately she fell in love with him nonetheless. He has seen the Ending of the 'route' and it was as expected, however he did not expect it to go as smoothly as it did, for her to be so emotional at him declaring that she would 'forget' him as well.

..

..

All Ikoma Minami needed was to believe that even with an ending, it simply means that there was a new beginning for her to look forward to.

Her 'Event' and the crevice in her heart was that she could not accept and was unhappy that it was the 'end' of her swimming career in Junior School when she was not selected for the swimming team for the final competition of the year.

However with Keima's help, she was able to realize that 'end' only symbolized a new 'beginning' for her swimming career in High School if she just believed in it.

To some extent, it would be a new 'beginning' even if she forgot Keima and this was what worried him so much. If she had remembered all that he had said, Ikoma Minami might be a force to be reckoned with if she approached him.

What would be his feelings be if she retained those same feelings and returned the words that he said to her word for word?

"Oh Geez! Give me a break!"

* * *

**Author's Notes: Yes, I do adore Minami alot...**


	6. Waiting for the Start

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 6: Waiting for the Start**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: My apologize to RyougaZell, Somehow screwed up and I was not sure if I did reply your email.**

**So your questions get some screen time here! I actually believe that beside Minami, Kanon, Chihiro and Ayumi, he could be close to Tsukiyo as he was willing to... you know, do that to save her. But they are too similar to be paired together imo. Thus, it would be less realistic as opposites attract more often =P**

**And it was hinted that Ayumi, Mio and Kanon were of interest to Keima as types of girls he 'likes', but that was probably the author's joke...**

**Although i accept anon reviews, if you would like me to reply and have a genuine question, please used a signed review or email me in my profile =P**

**Lastly, for En(): I would not give an answer to your first question as it would be a spoiler. KEY is the Company that brought us Clannad/Air/Little Busters/ Kanon.**

**R&R as usual please!**

**..**

**..  
**

* * *

..

..

"… tsk…"

Looking at his watch, Katsuragi Keima and the hero of this story was unsure how to proceed. The reason for his hesitation and the current obstruction to his life and route to the classroom was a young girl, a few years below her and a Junior in the School he studied in.

Although it seemed silly, it was not totally improbably for a boy to be afraid of a thin frail looking girl like her.

But on close examination one can see that this girl had actually muscle hidden below her frail looking exterior, especially on her upper limbs and a well toned body.

That was due to the fact that she was part of the School's swimming team, a fact that was proudly displayed for all to see on her bag as she peeped into the classroom, went back to the corridor and anxiously paced about, waiting for one person.

That person was Katsuragi Keima and that was why he was forced to stay put just around the corridor.

..

..

His gamer instincts were telling him to back off. In a situation like this, there can only be a few plausible situations that would lead to such a build up and neither of them would help his current situation of being plagued by so many girls currently vying for his attention.

Did he just admit that girls were vying for his attention, this glasses wearing, gaming Otamegane?

Well that was the truth and as far as he was concerned, anyone else who envies this situation can have it on a silver platter.

It is nothing more than a nuisance to someone like him who values peace and quiet above everything else.

But as the bell rang and Minami showed no signs of retreating from her position, Keima was left with no choice and he took a deep breath and headed for the classroom with a heavy heart.

* * *

..

..

_It was odd, this feeling that she had in her heart as she looked back at the senior that she has been waiting for all along._

_It had came to her suddenly today as she was packing her bag, smoothing down the irritating tuft of hair that made her hair seem like it was a bird's nest. This small, foggy memory of a date that she had been on with a senior and that she had somehow managed to forget._

_How did she forget such an incident? Did he do something wrong to her to cause her to forget this? Was she attacked by that senior? She certainly hoped not or she, Ikoma Minami would never raise her head in society again._

_But as she slowly tried to recall as she made her way to school this day, the small memory got a little bit clearer. There wasn't really many clues given to her as the memory was indistinct and foggy, it was a miracle she even believed it was nothing more than a dream at all!_

_But she could not deny it as whenever she tried to recall that incident, her heart was thumping with an unknown emotion that she can't place for now._

_Still, she was sure it was a good feeling and she knew what she had to do now._

_The 'date' she had shared no clues as to their relationship but there was something remarkably clear that she remembered._

_A name, the name Katsuragi Keima._

_.._

_..  
_

_"Ka-katsuragi senpai!"_

_She cried out his name just as he came to view and although he made no indication that he actually heart her, she made sure she had his attention by grabbing his arm and causing him to stop._

_There were people muttering and gossiping about this weird pair but at the moment, Minami did not care and would not let go even as Keima looked down at her with cold, hard eyes and asked her to release him._

_"Release me…"_

_He wanted her to leave and to let that memory fade away? No! Never! It was a precious memory linking the two of them together! She did not want to lose something so precious just like that!_

_If he like her has just forgotten due to some incident, she wanted him to remember and she tugged harder on his shirt and said again._

_"Katsuragi-senpai! Do you remember me?"_

_"…"_

_For a second Minami saw the slight hesitation in his eyes and she knew that when he said 'No', it was a lie. She did not want to know why he said no or why he claimed her has no memory of it._

_That was irrelevant… what was relevant was that she remembered and if he does not remember, she will make him remember! She would find out why he does not remember and when she does, she would make sure Katsuragi-senpai tell her all about it._

_"Katsuragi-senpai.. I… I…"_

_.._

_..  
_

_Many numerous faces were looking at her now and out of the corner of her eyes she saw two girls approaching her and she panicked. Those two weren't here to pull her off was it? There was something that she wanted to say before they did._

**_"Katsuragi-senpai! I, I like you!"_**

_

* * *

_

_.._

_..  
_

The world froze and everyone just stared at the two of them. One was just an ordinary Junior High school Girl and the other a High School Boy… but the Boy was not just an ordinary High School Student, he was the infamous Otamegane, the NEET, the weird gamer genius that was the most disgusting boy in class.

And this ordinary junior high school girl just went and confessed to him? Did she have a screw loose? She was ordinary but one can still say she is quite cute, to some she would be a nice-looking girl, if a little quiet.

Those who knew her knew she can be quite humorous and active, being in the swimming club does that to you… but she is quite street smart and sociable as well, having quite a big group of friends.

So why would she like this weirdo?

Everyone's eyes were on the pair but the most shocked pair of all was the two girls behind them.

..

..

One of them was Katsuragi Elsi, her sister. They could not blame her for being shocked as she stammered and just pointed at the two of them while waving her hands frantically in the air. She was flustered and confused and who wouldn't be if their big brother was just confessed to right in front of her eyes.

The other girl was a mystery to all of them, she wore a uniform that was the same as theirs but one cannot remember where she came from.

That girl simply looked at them with a dumbstruck expression, numbed even to Elsi's frantic waving and tugging even as the junior High girl just looked at him patiently for a reply.

..

..

The Gods Must Be Crazy to let this scenario develop!

* * *

..

..

"…"

It was exactly like he feared; he did not want this to happen but it seemed that it had happened anyway. This girl, Ikoma Minami who had fallen in love with him despite his faults had confessed to him in front of the whole class and probably the whole level.

His throat went dry at the prospects and from looking at how she squeezed her eyes shut when she was confessing and how she was still shivering as she placed a hand on her chest while waiting for an answer, Keima knew that was the truth.

She probably had remembered something, enough of something to make her recall all the feelings she had built up for him.

The image of Katsuragi Keima had been built up once again by this innocent girl to gigantic proportions within a single day with a single leak of the memory modification.

Curse New Hell and their technology, how should he reply to this now? His options were limited and there was no running from this choice. Besides himself, he must consider her as well. Would she relapse if he rejects her? Would the rest of the girls be affected if he says no or just want time to think?

Would this cause a tidal wave that triggers all the Bad Ends in all the other girls?

"…"

..

..

For the first time since he can remember, _God _was unable to come up with the right answer instantly. He was… unsure, uncertain and most importantly, affected by his own emotions.

He was probably happy and embarrassed that someone had confessed to him even if he denied it and was not paying attention to his heart at the moment.

Katsuragi Keima was a person who does not wish to meet with reality and strives to live in his own 'virtual' reality. This must be a rude a shock to him as it threatens to chain him in reality with Minami as the 'anchor' if he accepted her preposition.

This would mean that he would no longer have his own 'virtual reality' as the core of his life and have Ikoma Minami instead.

That would be unbearable for the _Otoshi-Gami_ but would be acceptable for the Human Teenager Katsuragi Keima…

..

..

It was the duel between the two that would make this decision!

Or so he believed as the sight of the two demons in front of him woke him up from his reverie and if that was not enough, a familiar face suddenly appeared behind those two girls and headed towards this direction.

"… Kuh…"

It was the Homeroom teacher, Nikaido Yuri and by the looks of things, he might actually be saved by her as with her appearance, everyone who was looking on suddenly fled and scattered, leaving the four of them standing outside the classroom.

..

..

"What are you all doing, skipping classes? KATSURAGI!"

Why is this HIS FAULT? It's HER FAULT!

* * *

..

..

_It took a while before Sensei was done scolding all of us and after the ordeal, we were sent back to class amidst whispers and discussions amongst all of the other classmates._

_ Ikoma Minami-chan, our junior was sent back after Yuri-sensei had a few words with her as well._

_Ayumi-chan and Chihiro-chan didn't join in and was instead looking away with awkward faces. They probably felt that it was not a good time to talk to me as my Kami-Onii-sama had just gone through such an…. Interesting and unexpected ordeal._

_Kami-Onii-sama has someone that actually liked him! Even if it was Minami-chan, one of the capture targets, I was still happy for him as this might be the opportunity that would make him more open to the Real World!_

_If Kami-Onii-sama really has a Girlfriend, he'll have his social circle expand, have more friends and… and…_

_.._

_..  
_

_Why am I feeling so sad about that? It should be a good thing…_

_.._

_..  
_

_"Katsuragi Imouto! Katsuragi Imouto!"_

_"Oi, oi, Elsi-chan, she's calling you!"_

_"Y-Yes!"  
With my heads in the clouds, I stood up and only with help from Chihiro-chan did I manage to answer sensei's question… That's really bad of me… even if I am a demon I must still pay attention in class._

_I… I shouldn't worry so much about Kami-Onii-sama right now, I have to do my best to help him as her sister!_

_That's right! We're… just brothers and sisters after all…_

_.._

_..  
_

_Somehow, that is not reassuring to me… I wonder why…_

_

* * *

_

..

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"Tsk…"

Katsuragi Keima was not frustrated at being nagged nor was he frustrated at being blamed for that incident. He was irritated and frustrated that he could not game in peace yet again.

Why must the World hate him so? Ever since the start of the Summer Holidays he has not gotten a single day of peace to quietly game… And with the current crisis in front of him, the odds are that they days in front of him will not be peaceful as well!

..

.

He has to get this ordeal over and done with and with his analytical genius mind, he started going through all the possible situations that might cause this 'incident' while still absentmindedly playing his game.

"Katsuragi!"

Obliging her, Keima stood up and recited the phrase Nikaido Yuri sensei wanted from the book with nary a trace of worry in his voice.

"Hmph!"

A vein popping out of the corner of her forehead, she nevertheless allowed him to sit down and as she passed him while doing her rounds in 'lecturing' the sleeping students, she whispered something that made him pay attention.

..

..

**_"It seems that at least she remembered, didn't she?"_**

_ .._

_..  
_

Smiling to herself, Yuri-san left Keima gaping after her before turning back to his game. She must be referring to something else, she could not have known what was happening…

If she was talking about what he thought she was talking about, then she might have connections to New Hell as well. Keima himself have wondered why was he chosen to be a partner to a Demon when there were obviously other better candidates.

He knew this as his technique for 'capturing' the Evil Spirits would be to 'capture' the target's heart and to fill in the void with love for him and thus driving the Evil Spirit out.

From what he learnt from Haqua, this technique is extremely volatile and if done incorrectly or improperly, might result in a relapse of the previous possession as the void might reappear if the feelings towards Keima were to weaken or to disappear.

..

..

Thus, his technique can be said to be unreliable even if he has the highest rate of success so far. It is like a double-edged sword and although he was proud to be called the Otoshi-gami, in reality he is still surprised that New Hell would ask for his assistance as well as sending a klutz like Elsi to aid him…

If he is truly a worthy person to select, why pair him with a Cleaner Demon to capture Evil spirits?

..

..

Thus, recently he has begun to believe that… he was actually selected due to a bigger, unknown influence… something that he and Elsi has no idea of. It could be that they are just pawns in a much bigger War going on…

..

..

"… hmph."

It could be the truth… Ikoma Minami must have remembered what happened, that would explain how she is able to find the courage to confess to him.

Just thinking about the word 'confess' made him pause and despite himself, blush a little as he looked away from the game he was playing. It would be an insult to the game and heroine if he was to finish this game while thinking about another girl and he placed it down and recollected his memories once more.

It must be the truth, nothing else can explain it so perfectly.

Something has gone terribly wrong with the Administrative Powers of New Hell to cause this:

**[The collapse of the 'Memory Wipe/Modification Spell/Hax/System' that they, New Hell used to hide their tracks]**

..

..

Now he, Katsuragi Keima would be the victim of his own success as he clutched his head in frustration.

Instead of capturing 8 girls in a single time, it would be him who would be the target of 8 girl's affection at the same time! (**Author's Note: I'm not including Haqua or Elsi at this given time =P)**

Just thinking of the implications was enough to give him a headache and if a genius like Keima have a headache, one can imagine how Elsi would panic if she found out.

Right now, he must logically access the damage before he went ahead to speak to her or to her superiors.

And not even Haqua at the moment, he has to be sure of how many of them were affected before he confided in him.

He hated to admit it, but he would need her assistance right now more than anyone else… and she had just flew off in a huff earlier due to that fiasco.

Great, just great!

..

.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Ah, Minami-chan~**


	7. Of More Clues

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 7: Of More Clues**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Not sure I should be very flattered or upset that this fiction is making my other Fics pale in comparison? Perhaps i'm getting better?**

**I hope I replied most of your answers, dear reviewers! R&R please...  
**

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"…"

When classes ended and Keima finally decided to place down his PFP for a break from his game, he saw Elsi waiting behind him with a patient and worried smile before pointing at the classroom door.

There was someone there waiting for him and as he sighed and walked towards her, it would be no one else but the girl who had just confessed to him earlier, Ikoma Minami.

She had chosen a bad time to wait for him but in some sense, it was probably a good idea too. She might have missed him if she had waited at the gate but Keima was quite gratified to see her there.

It saved him the trouble from finding her and speaking to her.

..

..

As there is a lack of privacy, people were looking curiously at the two of them standing in the arch of the doorway. Elsi herself was looking at them with apprehensiveness. She wanted to wait for him but at the same time, wanted to interrupt them as well. It made her heart felt a little awkward at having her Kami-Onii-sama stolen away from her and she fidgeted on the spot as she watched but not eavesdropped on them.

..

..

_Will he accept her?_

_Then… if he did, what will happen to me?_

..

..

But Elsi she had a job to do, she had to shield Keima and Minami from the prying eyes of others, that was his instruction and as she did so, she could not help but look at them with a lingering doubt in her heart.

* * *

..

..

"Katsuragi-senpai…"

She breathed easier when she saw him approach and while he showed a face of discontent, inside she was sure he was happy to see her as he walked towards her with no hesitation what so ever.

"I'm sorry, Katsuragi-senpai, I should not have told you that in front of everyone… I'm sorry."

Lowering her head with her face flushed red, Minami smiled shyly as Keima just nodded and just allowed her to continue.

"Ano, but I won't take back my words, Katsuragi-senpai… I… I don't know if you remember me… or know who I am… but."

"Ikoma Minami…"

He answered matter of factedly and even looked away as he placed his bag down beside him, putting his hands in his pockets while looking at her seriously.

He was willing to listen and that was enough for Minami and she gushed out her words in a hurry.

"Katsuragi-senpai, if you remember me… then that means you know what I meant… you and I… shared a date together… at the summer festival right? I finally remember… but do you remember? I don't know why… why I did forget… b-but it doesn't matter!"

* * *

..

..

Keima raised an eyebrow as he listened to Minami, it seems that this girl had not straightened her thoughts about the situation just yet. One would have thought deeply and asked themselves why would they have forgotten an important incident like that?

If it was him, he would surely have done that and would never have confronted the person who he lost his memory with so soon.

..

..

Ikoma Minami, she came straight to him without a fear in the world or a doubt in the world to his identity… he should be flattered that she trusted him that much or just blame her for being too innocent.

At any rate, she would be of no threat to New Hell or to himself if he kept her from dwelling too much on the 'why'.

..

..

"I'm sorry…"

He took the initiative and apologized to her first and clasping her hands with his before pulling her a step closer to him, causing her to blush red and mutter a few words in shock at his sudden behavior.

If it was in an ordinary situation, Keima would never do something like that. But this was his job as Elsi's partner and thus he had to endure the embarrassment and just do it!

"I think I made you upset that day… I told you that I would be leaving and you would forget me…"

But he wasn't willing to go as far as to allow Minami to hug him and he pulled her to shoulder's length to stare into her eyes, his eyes serious and willing as he leaned closer to him, causing her to squeak more.

"And I begged you to forget me… that might be why you forgot… because I thought I was leaving here, leaving you."

"K-katsuragi-senpai… w-why? Aren't you here now?"

"But over the Summer in my new home, I managed to convince them to let me stay here till I graduate…"

..

..

It was a white lie, he did go back to his grandparent's hometown but there was no intention for them to move as they still allowed them to stay there for the time being.

"T-that's great, Katsuragi-senpai! So you are not leaving?"

She seemed genuinely glad for him and also took the bait, hook, line and sinker all at the same time. He can call this a successful faux de pass!

..

..

"Yes… I'm sorry for forcing such a request on you…"

"It's okay, Katsuragi-senpai, I understand…"

The younger girl just smiled in relief but that smile trembled a little as he answered at last.

"…So for now… I can't give you an answer, Minami… I can't tell you whether… I can let you be by my side… can you, wait a while for me?"

..

..

It was a gamble, Minami did not say that she wanted to go out with him. But the intention was there, her thought process must have not gone so far to dream that he would remember or that he would share the same feelings.

The best solution is therefore to make her wait for a temporary solution while he finds a more permanent one.

Waiting with baited breath, Keima looked at the younger girl and slowly she nodded.

..

..

"I understand, Katsuragi-senpai… But, please don't make me wait too long."

She smiled weakly at him and then mustering all her courage, stood on tip toe to kiss him on his cheeks before pulling away from the shocked Keima.

"Because, Katsuragi-senpai… I think, I like you more than you imagine… and more than I can imagine too."

Resting one hand on her chest, she bowed to him formally and smiled brightly back.

"I won't stop waiting, Katsuragi-senpai! Until the day you accept me too!"

* * *

..

..

**_The End_**

_ .._

_..  
_

_

* * *

_

_.._

_..  
_

..

Wait, what kind of bad game is this? If a Game Company would make this, he would burn it down with his own hands!

Regaining his nerves after that shock departure, Keima turned back to see Elsi unhappily waving her school bag with one hand while staring at him with an odd expression.

"Chii-"

"w-what is it, Elsi?"

"So… Kami-Onii-chan likes younger girls?"

"W-what?"

Turning as red as Minami, Keima tried to explain himself but Elsi seemed not to listen and instead whispered to his ears.

"I[ can't tell you whether… I can let you be by my side… can you, wait a while for me?]? Hmmm?"

With no other retort, Keima gritted his teeth in frustration and stomped off, leaving Elsi breathing a deep sigh of relief, patting her chest as she felt that tightening feeling around it disappear as soon as Minami left.

That's odd… but it feels better too…

..

..

I'm sorry… Minami-chan!

* * *

..

..

Leaving school, the duo made their way towards home in silence. Elsi was in a good mood while Keima was still thoughtful as he slowly played his game and contemplated his actions.

Perhaps it was only Elsi that screwed up? If that was the case, that can easily be rectified if he contacted Haqua… but it would be odd for only Elsi's capture to be affected… But then again, if it was common, Haqua would have contacted her by now…

But in either scenarios, New Hell has indeed a problem on their hands. If every single capture target regains partially their modified memories, the identity of New Hell would be revealed sooner or later.

"…."

Elsi seems to not be bothered, does she not get how serious the current situation is? Not that she can be of help…

..

..

"Ah!"

A voice that was strangely familiar and yet different, Keima looked up from his game and with Elsi; turned to a figure that stopped them at the intersection while pointing at them.

"Erm, you are… K-katsuragi…?"

She asked awkwardly but that person was surely Yoshino Asami; his classmate, was it not?

"Yes I am…. Yoshino-san… is there something you need?"

Answering on behalf of Elsi, who just looked surprised and speechless at her, Keima pushed Elsi towards her to urge her along.

"A-ah yes! Asami-chan, what's wrong?"

"I'm not Asami… I'm Ikumi…"

She answered while waving her hands up and down as if she knew them but the doubtful look made Keima pay fully attention to her and he cut her off.

..

..

"Yoshino Ikumi-san, is that right?"

Yoshino Ikumi, the twin sister of Yoshino Asami and the reason her capture went off on the wrong foot. Ikumi was impersonating Asami for the majority of the capture and this had baffled Keima so well till he finally figured it out and confronted her with the truth.

But it was due to her assistance did he succeed in capturing Asami and in regards to that, he was thankful to this twin sister of hers.

..

..

"Ah, yes! You must be from Onee-chan's class right? Is she doing well in class?"

She tried to hide her confusion but Keima knew what he was after and he cut to the chase immediately.

"Do you know me? How did you know my name?"

"eh? Erm, well…"

She was struggling with the answer and Keima waited impatiently before Elsi started hitting him on the head with her bag lightly.

..

..

"Hidoi yo, Kami-onii-sama! Why are you bullying Ikumi-chan like that!"

"Ow! Stop it, Elsi!"

Stopping her by pinching her nose, Keima turned to see Ikumi giggling a little before sighing.

"Ah, I'm sorry… I don't know… I remember Onee-chan telling me and describing Katsuragi-san to me, but I have never seen you in person. Oddly… I think, I know you… and have spoken to you… But I can't place it… odd eh?"

She hit her own head to punish her own stupidity but it was exactly what Keima wanted, it was not just the targets that were affected… was the people close to them affected as well?

..

..

The class certainly did not remember any details of his 'exploits'. While capturing Asami, Mio, Kusonoki and Tsukiyo his actions were a little extravagant and would no doubt leave an expression of him being a playboy if the class and the school remembered.

However, the school and class remain blissfully unaware… but Ikumi remembered something. Was it due to the fact that she was involved in the capture as well?

Unlike the rest of the captures, Asami has the assistance of her sister that changed his plans… perhaps some clues lie with her that will lead him to why this happened?

..

..

"Can you remember how… or when did you recall talking to me?"

Keima stifled his excitement and Elsi too by pressing her down so that she was bending her body a little in protest while Keima rested his head on hers in interest.

"Haha, you two sure are an interesting couple!"

"Ikumi-chan, he is my Kami-Onii-sama!"

Elsi replied in a hurry while Ikumi just nodded.

"I see I see… well, I think it was when one girl visited us one day… she said she had wanted to return a wrong delivery to us… I remember Onee-chan was the one who took the package from her so I couldn't see her face… but I overheard their conversation…"

Ikumi rubbed her chin as she elaborated to them.

"I felt odd the whole day… I don't know why… but what she told Onee-chan was odd… and I think… it affected me as well. Probably some ghost story… hahaha!"

She laughed awkwardly but Keima took her and Elsi by surprise when he grabbed her hands and shook it tightly.

..

..

"Thank you very much, Yoshino-san. I am glad I met you today. It is unfortunate but we have things to do now. If we do meet again, allow me to treat you to lunch."

Kissing her hands in a princely manner, Keima apologized and took his leave by grabbing Elsi by the collar and dragging the stunned girl away.

..

..

The other stunned girl however, just looked on with a sigh and then laughed.

"Haha, as expected from Katsuragi-kun… he sure is an interesting person, right, Onee-chan?"

Ikumi was speaking the truth but in the course of it all, has spotted her sister hiding behind a well-placed mailbox and she waved to her from where she stood.

"Pity… but I will give him up to you, Onee-chan~"

"I-Ikumi!"

* * *

..

..

..

_"Meet me tonight."_

Keima sent that mail to Haqua while on the way back and he did not expect the Demon to be in the living room waiting for him and waving to Elsi with Mari, her mother sitting beside her.

"Haqua!"

Excited in meeting her friend, Elsi ran over to hug her while Keima nodded and greeted her formally. She did not disappoint and she nodded back as well, this meeting was strictly about business but right not it wouldn't hurt for some pleasantries.

"I came here to stay for the night, is it okay?"

Haqua asked Elsi who turned to Mari for acknowledgement.

"Sure dear, as long as you don't make a mess."

..

..

Katsuragi Mari, a gentle and typical housewife and the manager of the café: 'Café Grampa' in which they stayed in was not what she appeared to be.

Even if she seems gentle and kind on the exterior, she had a dark past of being part of and was the leader of a Biker Gang. But more than that, she was Keima's and Elsi's mother… and they would not have it any other way.

..

..

"Thank you for coming, Haqua."

Keima managed to whisper to her as he sat down beside her while Elsi and Haqua just chatted away about old times. It was an odd pair but those two certainly are good friends.

Haqua has always been at the top wherever she went and no one else could dispute her pride and joy in doing just that. It seemed to everyone that her goal and joy in life is to be No. 1!

For someone like her to be good friends with a ditz like Elsi, who is used to being the bottom of her class, it was unthinkable.

But in some little way, they do rely on each other. A very strong friendship indeed.

..

...

"Tsk… I would wish you would call me over for something else than work, Keima…"

She muttered back with a red face while Elsi just looked at them in confusion.

"Did you say something, Haqua? Did Kami-Onii-sama ask you to come over?"

They had an unwritten agreement that if Keima called Haqua over regarding 'work', it was probably best to assume that those proceedings are best kept secret from Elsi.

As Elsi was Keima's partner, logically it would be Elsi that Keima would seek help from.

However, if a time came where Haqua was needed, it is certainly something that was beyond what Elsi can handle or fathom.

..

..

That is the relationship between Haqu and Keima, a secret partnership in dealing with the most troublesome of matters.

To be honest, Keima disliked that… but he had nary a choice.

For Haqua, she was happy and angry of this partnership… for reasons she can't reveal.

..

..

"No, nothing at all! Ahaha!"

But before she can reply, Mari suddenly called Elsi to turn up the volume on the TV.

"Elsi-chan, Kanon-chan is going to showcase her new album~!"

"Really? Yay!"

* * *

..

..

_"This song is dedicated to someone special."_

_"Oh, to who, Kanon-chan? Can you tell us that?"_

_"To the person I always wished to have by been by my side…"_

_.._

_..  
_

Keima's heart stopped again and his blood went cold as he swiveled to look at the screen in shock.

The girl, a pinked haired Idol seemed to be staring at him from the TV screen as she spoke softly and yet tenderly back.

..

..

"The person who has always been supporting me from behind in places that I can't see…"

The girl, Nakagawa Kanon spoke slowly and deliberately as the camera zoomed in on her.

"The person, who was not selfish and gave me up… so I can sing for everyone here…"

She took a deep breath and smiled brightly back before announcing.

..

"To the one, that I have always sang for deep in my heart… My New Single: _[Koi no Shirushi]!_ "

* * *

**Author's Notes: I apologize if it was packed but I have to be more throughout in explaining the situation, giving hints and making sure the flow was okay.**

**And yes, it is the ED for the Anime, I guess the lyrics suited it to a tee? Haha  
**


	8. Of the Final Heroines

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 8: Of the Final Heroines**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

**..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Per the title, all of the heroines here have been mentioned at one point or another =P R&R if you will!**

..

..

Nakagawa Kanon, his third 'capture' and another 'capture' that was significant to him. The reason being was that she was an idol that was chasing him at the start.

His instincts was right to ignore her as she was nothing but trouble… the gap in her heart was caused by the unshakable belief that she was transparent, that she would be forgotten again.

She must have gone through harsh times to have such a fear as when she finally opened her heart to him, he was called by her for the most trivial of things and visited her thirty times a day to reassure her that she was doing great and was fine.

An idol having self-confidence issues… that was a new one even for him…

But he could not afford to be lax if she was concerned as she was the first 'capture' target to be physically affected by the evil spirits.

The 'targets' before her has never been physically affected by the evil spirit possessing them but for Kanon, whenever the situation escalated and the gap in her heart grew, she would become invisible and transparent to all those around her.

Thankfully her self confidence was easily restored when Keima praised her and it was a small blessing in that sense as it was remarkably easy for him to 'capture' her after seeing her ending.

..

..

However, it was significant not for those two reasons above.

It was the fact that Kanon was the person who first opened his eyes to accept the real world as being… not quite as bad as he described it before. Kanon was no longer just an idol, she was a star, a star that dazzled and attracted people to her while at the same time showing how one's dream and determination can mean so much to someone else.

She reached that path by herself… even if he was the one that gave her the final push to let her perform.

But before that, she no doubt sweated blood and tears to crawl her way to the top, her hard work could finally shine and it was shown to everyone in that concert.

..

..

Even Keima was touched by her performance… to think that a person like Kanon, who was in fear of herself being forgotten, with such confidence issues… was the one that dazzled the most when they set their minds to it.

It made people like him, who gave up on reality from the start, seem a bit… pitiful and for him to respect the Real World just a little.

If there are people like Nakagawa Kanon, perhaps the Real world… isn't full of the people that he labeled as worthless after all.

..

..

Knocking him out of his thoughts, Kanon began singing…

* * *

_[KOI NO SHIRUSHI kimi no me ni mitsuketa no ano hi  
kidzuita toki mune no jishaku mawaridashita  
sagashtieita tokimeki ni yatto deaetta no  
doko ni itemo mitsukedasu yo mou nido to mayowanai]_

_[I found the symbol of love in your eyes that day,__  
when I realized it, the compass of my heart started to move!  
I finally found the excitement I've been looking for,  
no matter where I am, I can find it again, I won't be lost ever again!]_

_[kitto futari ha unmei da yo  
nanoku mo no hito ga ite  
deau no ha CONPYUTA demo muri  
heibon sugiru mainichi ni PIRIODO wo utta no  
tameiki sotsugyou dekiru no yatto]_

_[I'm sure we were destined for each other,__  
even from the millions of people around,  
meeting each other is impossible to compute.  
It gave the period mark to my very ordinary life,  
I take a deep breath, I can finally graduate (into love)!]_

_[aozora ga mabushii kimi ga iru fuukei ha  
shiawase no O-RA afuredasu no tomaranai yo  
ekimae no funsui niji wo tsukutteiru yo  
kimi wo matsu jikan sae mo kakegaenai  
PURESHASUna toki]_

_[The blue sky is bright, the scenery you're in__  
is overflowing with the aura of happiness, it won't stop!  
The fountain in front of the station makes a rainbow,  
even the time I wait for you is irreplaceable,  
my precious time!]_

(Translation Credited to: Deciphered Melody)

* * *

..

..

"…"

It was probably directed at him and it made him flinch even more when Elsi and Mari complimented that it was such an awesome song.

"Don't you think so too, Kami-Onii-sama?"

Giggling as she made plans to buy the single when it is released, Elsi did not notice the obvious discomfort Keima was in as he swallowed and adverted his eyes from the TV.

This must be a coincidence… it must be a coincidence. But she echoed what she told him at that time and answered his wishes at the same time as well.

Kanon… might have remembered something as well and from his knowledge gleaned from Ikumi, she must have known for quite a while.

..

..

"Keima?"

But one person did notice his discomfort and it was Haqua who was staring at him intently, almost on top of him when he responded and whispered to her again.

"This is urgent. We'll talk after dinner, immediately."

Haqua was confused but she did not disappoint and nodded back. She had never seen Keima so flustered and worried since she knew him.

Although she held a grudge against him for being such a talented human, surpassing her in analytical skills, Haqua grudgingly admitted that Keima could possibly be one of the top 'capturers' of the Evil Spirits to date, Elsi having captured the most spirits thus far a testament to this fact.

Whatever Keima is worried about, it most likely was something humongous and Haqua sighed at thinking of the amount of work she will have to do after this.

..

..

"Oh is Haqua-chan staying for dinner? That's good, Keima!"

Blinking, she finally realized that Keima had informed Mari of her staying over and despite herself she blushed, it was not like Keima to consider such small details for her and she was certainly grateful.

..

..

* * *

..

..

"Eat more, Keima, you're skin and bones."

"Kami-Onii-sama! Finish your vegetables!"

"Elsi too… you've never seemed to like broccoli that much…"

"Haquaa!"

Whining at her, the dinner table was filled with many small talk that Keima did not partake in. He was again considering his options… The worst case scenario was that Kanon remembered everything and would be in the verge of contacting him right now.

He could still remember the first email she sent him… it was filled from the top to bottom with: "Please Take Care Of Me". It was similar to a murderous axe-wielding yandere girl that it made him wonder how long the ordeal would end.

But in reality Kanon was just a little girl that was afraid of her own success and of her own failure at the same time.

..

..

"…?"

Looking up to see Elsi hand some of her broccoli to him despite protests from Haqua, he nevertheless ate the vegetable while pushing his soup to Elsi to finish.

"Thanks."

He muttered while Mari looked in with a smile, this was what a family meal is about and Elsi smiled back too as she helped him to finish his soup.

"By the way, Haqua-chan, where do you live?"

"Eh? Well I live in the outskirts!"

It was Haqua's turn to be grilled by Mari while Keima placed down his bowl and thanked his mother for the meal.

..

* * *

..

..

First would be the removal of the Evidence… if Kanon did remember his email, it would be problematic and thus he turned on his PFP and went straight to his mail.

"Oh?"

He had imagined he had answered all the Lost Lamb's question today but there was a solitary email waiting to be opened in his Inbox and he opened it to find it full of questions and thoughts about a list of Games that he had played through.

It was however much different from a usual email asking for help with a game, it was instead an email asking him about his views on the Various Endings of the Games.

The Mail was detailed enough to specify each ending, their causes and the sender's thoughts and theories about why the Developers created the Ending this way and was it fitting for the Heroine.

In short, a very detailed email requesting his advice on whether her theories about the Heroine's was accurate and he was strangely impressed by this email.

It was a piece of work by itself and no doubt created by someone who loved the games, the heroines as much as he did to think up so many truths, theories and speculations about them.

That is one thing, the other is the depth of research and knowledge of the Game Mechanics that enabled her to detail out the Flag Data of each individual heroine and the different impacts of their choices to the other heroines.

..

..

It would be a Sin not to reply the sender, who is surely a true fan of the above listed games. If anything, he was secretly impressed with this person, whoever he was, he was surely someone he could discuss the games with.

..

..

Sitting in the living room, Keima blocked out everything around him and spent the next few minutes typing furiously, composing a reply and replying the sender. It was perhaps fortunate that this email came as it provided him some relief, some escape from the endless headaches that had came his way since morning.

At least, till the other email came in.

* * *

..

..

_From: Nakagawa Kanon_

_Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you _

_Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you _

_Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you _

_Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you Who are you?_

_.._

_..  
_

_

* * *

_

_.._

_..  
_

"!"

It was as he feared, Kanon had found out his email through her 'sent' emails and this was indeed tricky if she ever found out his name. No doubt that would allow her to seek him out… besides Minami, Kanon would be a person that would be difficult to handle as she was prone to get too close to him for comfort.

She is after all, a little air-headed as the last time they had met, she had shown signs that she could recall vague memories of their time together.

The same goes for Ayumi and Chihiro and if they had remembered something, Kanon would surely top the list in those who can remember 'everything' that has happened between them.

"Tsk…"

It is a nightmare… so it's not just 8 of them, but 9? How should he tackle 9 separate incidents at the same time?

As if answering him, his PFP signaled another Email and he absentmindedly opened it again, hoping it was a good sign.

But he was sorely disappointed as for the first time since he can remember, Katsuragi Keima tossed the PFP to the side as he soaked in what he had just read.

* * *

..

..

_As expected from the Otoshi-gami. Your answers are as magnificent as I have heard and your are surely worthy of your name._

_We would no doubt be able to get along with one another._

_May I request for one last final question?_

_.._

_..  
_

_Are you, Katsuragi Keima?_

_ .._

_..  
_

_-Mai-Hime_

_

* * *

_

..

..

It seems that the **Capturing God **is at his wits end as he clutched his head in agony. This was beyond belief, so that means even _she _had remembered everything as well.

..

..

* * *

..

..

The she Keima was referring to would be unknown to many, even Elsi had minimum contactwith this particular capture as it took Keima to undertake a long and arduous route to find out what made this girl 'tick'.

He knew of her 'event' and he did know of her 'archetype' and of course the gap in her heart.

But the tricky part was that he had no idea how to trigger that 'event' and to fill the gap in her heart.

The girl's name is: Fuse Aoba, a girl that was in the same school year as he is in and in the same school as well.

**(Author's Notes: yes, this name is silly... I hate it _ Apparently it is named after a Japanese Train Station.)**

..

..

But why did Elsi did not participate in this capture?

The reason is simply, Fuse Aoba could not be approached by anyone except Keima and to achieve that feat, Keima had to attempt to find out what 'archetype' Fuse Aoba fell into.

Was she the disgruntled and disheartened athlete like Ayumi?

Was she the Sheltered Princess type like Mio?

Or was she the cold and yet warm girl like Kusonoki?

..

..

Keima tried it all, from one 'archetype' to the other till he finally concluded that Aoba Fuse fell into all those categories at the same time.

She was in one word: A Genius.

Fuse Aoba was a genius in the same category as Keima and one who is excellent in everything she tried her hands to.

From Sports to Academics, from games to art, she was perfect. Due to that, she had become bored with life.

In fact, the only reason Keima was able to approach Aoba was that she had decided that if Keima was going to approach her anyway, it would be more productive for her to allow him to approach and to while away the time while she was at it.

..

..

She was bored as there was nothing in the world that can interest her.

At least, until she accidentally started playing one of Keima's Dating-sim games and that was when her world and his world met head-on.

She was confident in her ability to finish and complete a game as quick or even quicker than Keima… but each time she was proven wrong.

There is something in this world that she cannot finish! This was impossible!

..

..

That was the beginning of the story of Fuse Aoba and Katsuragi Keima, two geniuses brought together by an accident in the world of dating-sims.

It seems ironic, but Fuse Aoba is perhaps the female version of Keima, a genius who devotes her life to gaming the same type of games he did.

* * *

..

..

"… ugh."

Keima recalled the times she spent with Aoba and shook his head. So even she is trying to remember who he is and what they did together.

..

..

As with any 'capture', the time will come where it goodbye and her memory to be modified and for both Aoba and Keima, it was perhaps fitting that the last time they spent with one another is over a marathon of Dating-Sims that they both enjoyed.

She made a promise that she would reach Keima one day, to reach the same level as the **Capturing God, **and to be by her side.

Till the end, she could not meet the level of Katsuragi Keima and that is to be expected. A genius might be a genius but in the end, even a genius needs time and experience to truly be labeled as great.

Even if she was a genius and much above the average gamer, the person she wanted to impress was someone who can easily be reached.

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** who had been playing long before Fuse Aoba, was still far above her in terms of skill in the games.

That was the reason for the promise; she wanted to be in the same level as him, to face him face to face as an equal, not as a disciple…

..

..

That was the promise she made then and it seems that she has finally caught up with him.

It was inevitable, he was the **Capturing God** and she was hailed as the next rising star in gaming, _Mai-Hime._

And that _Mai-hime, _had just found out and remembered who he was. Even if she might not be as good as he is, she nonetheless did find him.

* * *

..

..

Elsi, who was sweeping the dining room while Haqua and Mari was cleaning the dishes, stepped into the living room to see Keima lying on the couch in the dark.

She dearly wanted to turn on the lights and ask him what was wrong but something inside her told her not to.

After spending a few months with Keima, Elsi had become accustomed to his moods just as well as Mari; or perhaps even more than Mari as they were inseparable.

She could sense that Keima wanted some space and privacy now and she should not interfere.

But at the same time, she hoped and begged in her mind that Keima would seek help from her as well.

..

..

She knew that Haqua was here to help Keima and she was happy to see her friend being so close to him. At the same time she was sad that she was not relied on.

She tried hard to impress him but it always screwed up… and yet he wanted her to stay just like how she is now.

It makes her confuse… but it must be a sign that Keima liked her the way she was, right?

..

..

Then in that case… it would be enough for her to just stay here and bear his pain in silence… even if he does not know that she is doing so.

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**Author's Notes: Fuse Aoba is my definition of the Female Version of Keima. And no, she is NOT an OC, she actually is a canon character in The Light Novel Vol. 2.**


	9. The True Beginning

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 9: The True Beginning **

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes:**

**This is the true beginning of this Fiction, to those who have hang on till now, please bear with me for a bit longer.**

**I know I've teased everyone long enough in answering who the heroine of this story is and some of you are begging for a Harem Scene.**

**The good thing is that the ending shall still be vague, even if it is still far off in the horizon to talk about the ending.**

**But this is truly the Beginning of the Story and from now onwards, the sister story shall be launched together with this story.**

**It will describe the two plans that Keima will logically choose to adopt to have a closure to this scenario in my opinion…**

**One story can never fit 10 Heroines in it after all, thus like any good Galgame, this story shall have it's choice of heroines and the sister fiction shall have her own.**

**If I'm being vague, then please bear with me and support me for a while longer!**

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**The Author does support the Artist by buying the manga/light novel which is licensed in Taiwan. So please don't request for links _**

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Keima sat by himself in the room, totally unaware of how Elsi was waiting patiently by the door if he ever called out for her. He has never once relied on Elsi as he had termed her to unreliable and clumsy to be of help.

For the most obvious solution, he can only turn to the other member of the Spirit Capturing Squad that he know.

Haqua… if it's Haqua, she could probably find out what is going on while he goes around with Elsi to ensure that everyone is still fine and have not been newly possessed.

Capturing Evil Spirits with 'love' was Keima's specialty and it was his only way to capture Spirits despite it being called a difficult and unfavorable way to do so as it might result in instability of the target's condition and might still result in the 'gap' in their heart from reforming if he was half hearted in his job.

In short, it might be an easy and efficient way but it has it's risks.

..

..

His job right now, was to minimize the risks both for him, Elsi and for New Hell. If all the capture targets are slowly remembering what they had forgotten, they would probe deeper and ask why did Keima approach them from the start.

He was no play boy but that was the least of their worries. It would be bad if they started probing on how they lost their memories and would slowly result in the whole school and perhaps the town be involved in a large scandal of amnesia.

That would mean that eventually the only person linking all those events was Keima and Elsi.

It could be associated that Keima is the culprit and they would be hauled off for investigation. Once the fire starts, it would be impossible to put out.

The old saying: 'No Smoke Without Fire' might sum this up pretty well.

It seems that he has no choice but to actually interact with the girls to help stabilize the situation, to ensure that the gaps in the heart do not reappear and Haqua would help with the overall situation by finding out what had happened.

Was it a onetime affair? Or was it something widespread…

..

..

"…"

Nodding, Keima approved the plan mentally in his head. Even if he disliked the idea of being in close contact with the Capture Targets who might have remembered him, it was better than being in a relationship with one or being the target of so many girls at the same time.

He is not starring in a Galgame… (**Author's Notes: Too late….)**

But if he was, he'll have full control of who he has to interact with.

"Kami-Onii-sama?"

It was Elsi and she stepped into the room slowly and apprehensively as if she was afraid of him and perhaps he was being a little too serious as he had his face in a dark and deepening scowl that must have been very intimidating to poor Elsi and Keima relaxed for her benefit.

He might not depend on Elsi but he did trust and feel for Elsi. After all, she was his sister and he should treat her well.

"Yes, Elsi?"

..

..

He was not fond of showing affection outright and hence he pushed his glasses up before turning to look at the timid girl directly and out of the blue, Haqua appeared behind her as well and the two of them looked at him as if they expected to have him speak first.

They must have some inkling of what's going on after all. They are the Members of the Spirit Capturing Squad after all, if they have not caught on, they are not worthy of being there in the first place.

"You have something to tell us, Kami-Onii-sama?"

"Tell us what is going on, Keima."

The two of them asked, no, demanded and Keima nodded, his glasses gleaming in the dim light to cover his eyes as he started to tell them about the situation.

* * *

...

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"I see…"

Haqua nodded her head as she finished listening to Keima's summary and although she was happy that Keima was asking this big favor from her, for her to help cover and rewrite their memories for the time being and contacting New Hell for information discreetly to not alarm them, she could not help but feel a little upset that Keima did not want her to help him in his personal investigation to find the culprit.

After all, wasn't she a better pick than Elsi if it comes to investigating? Why was she chosen to help Keima personally instead of her? Elsi probably could not even get the implications of what Keima was suggesting!

Looking at her counterpart in an unsatisfied nature, Haqua suppressed the streak of jealousy she felt about Keima caring for Elsi in those small ways that he is usually so insensitive about as he fussed about Elsi, telling her to be serious.

But it was true that without Haqua, his plan would unravel at the seams.

..

..

Covering and rewriting their memories would only prove to be a temporary fix as the culprit was likely able to allow them to recover those memories easily but it was the most logical one.

Even if Keima is indeed the 'Capturing God', the prospects of being able to handle 10 girl's attention without causing them to fall in love with him, to not snub them off and at the same time be able to favor them equally to quash jealousy, is quite impossible.

She too can take comfort in the fact that Keima had swallowed his pride and had asked her to help him after all. The argument they had when Keima pulled Haqua away from dinner was overheard by Mari and Elsi and although they made it seem like it was nothing, Haqua was actually hurt by what he had done.

..

She had came here all the way just to help Keima out. Yes, she had been disappointed and angry when she heard that girl confess to Keima. But she couldn't leave him alone if he asked for her help.

But that stuck up and arrogant human had the audacity to actually tell her off for not appearing covertly and just waltzing into his house.

All that even when he was the one who asked him over, was she supposed to hide somewhere till they were alone and spring a surprise on him?

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_W-Well, that wouldn't be that bad… I mean, just to see that shocked expression of course!_

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But he had the nerve to tell her off for not being able to read the mood and to accuse her of trying to escape from Yukie and to get a free meal here! It is not that at all! REALLY!

..

Oddly though, just seeing how he pleaded as much as his pride could allow him to have made all the anger Haqua felt against him disappear and she agreed to help immediately. Reflecting upon that, Haqua could probably have made him do something for her as well…

"… no wait."

This is a matter that involves New Hell as well, the reason why he was doing this in such a low key way was to protect Elsi and to protect herself… if the identity of New Hell is compromised, it is likely that besides Elsi, she might be implicated as well for being her superior.

There are too many reasons to accept his proposal, but why… does she feel that she is still being sidelined?

That is Haqua's thoughts as she watched Keima and Elsi speak to each other.

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Elsi herself was happy, she was over the moon that her Kami-Onii-sama needed her help and he actually requested that personally while looking into her eyes with absolute seriousness.

Prior to that, she had just been a supporting member but she finally felt that she was going to be a Party Member now! It's like she leveled up from being a named-side character without a portrait to a Named Party Member!

… she really is rubbing off Kami-Onii-sama to think with such terms but she was really too happy!

Finally she can help Keima in something and that thought was enough for her to hug him tightly while he struggled to get out of the grip while flailing about.

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Although she could comprehend how severe the situation is, if all of the 'capture' targets was to remember every single detail of the capture and Kami-Onii-sama, it would be troublesome for him!

But for some reason; the mere thought of Keima being surrounded by all of the girls was making her so green with envy that she was chewing on her own clothes in jealousy and disappointment till Keima stopped her.

Shaking his head, he looked down on his little sister and that mere fact was enough for Elsi to cheer up sufficiently to salute him and assure him that she would do her best in her task.

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Even if she knew that she could not compare to Haqua and knowing instinctively that he was holding something back from her, she was still happy to be relied on.

That will always be true, be real and what Elsi strive for.

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"…"

Was he being too hasty? This decision, this plan, this reasoning of his… was it perfect? Was it worthy of being carried on in his name?

Katsuragi Keima did not know for sure… but he knew that he was covering for himself as well for the two Spirit Capturing Squad members who believed, trusted and agreed to help him.

Unnecessary risks without guaranteed returns was not his style and he was not about to disappoint them. Even if there is a lack of information, even if there is not a distinct path for him to choose… he is still the 'Capturing God' after all! There is no way he could not capture all of them once again, even if he have to take it one girl at a time.

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But he himself knew that same prospect which he found challenging and perhaps, dangerous, was the same source of his unease and stress…

He did know how difficult it would be, how different reality was from his Games and of course, about to learn a harsh lesson in reading the complex emotions of the opposite Gender as well as the means and ways they will try to get his attention.

Something he never gave them credit for…

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..

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**After all, Love is simply a very sweet Illusion.**

**The situation imagined by the mind is never ending, filled with endless possibilities.**

**But at the same time, he himself must remember never to give in to the same temptation, the same emotions and same deep urge that has made the girls determined to remember and meet him.**

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**If they did not desire to find him, he would not be found.**

**If they did not desire to remember, to acknowledge him, he would still be just the Otamegane. But now he is Katsuragi Keima, the 'boy who was in their dreams, the mysterious factor that they have forgotten'.**

**There is charm in the mysterious and those lingering emotions would surely drive them forward even more towards him, towards the core of his existence, the same core that he has guarded jealously for so long.**

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**If he is truly a God, these are the followers who follow him, trying to understand him, picking from his every word, every gesture even from a large distance…**

**Will they reach the 'God' in the end?**

**Or will they remain as simply observers, followers that can only watch wistfully in the distance?**

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**This is just the start, the infinite possibilities are not within just his grasp, it is within those twelve individuals as well.**

**So let the Game Begin, a true white and blank page filled with those endless paths, the endless flags and the endless stories.**

**There will only be one Ending… and one person that he will acknowledge.**

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**So let's go girls, be ambitious!**

**You, can be the heroine too!**

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"EHHHHHHH?"

It was Ayumi who screamed in shock as Elsi introduced their new manager to their self-created band. The 2-B Pencils is an all-girl's band that was set up by Chihiro and consists of Takahara Ayumi, Terada Miyako and Elsi herself.

**(Author's Notes: Yes, I am aware there is a drummer by the name of Goidou Yui but before Summer, she was not introduced)**

Although Chihiro herself did not scream, she was a little confused at the sudden change of heart by this Manager in question. She herself knew that they needed someone to help them as the position of drummer was open…

But a manager? She did not think they needed someone to fill in that role till much longer, they have not even had a real and proper recording session yet!

A-and yet, she could not but help being a little happy at the boy who was now scrutinizing the four girls in front of him.

Of course the person that was standing in front of them was Katsuragi Keima…

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"From today onwards, I'll be your Manager… I hope that you are not dissatisfied or have any complaints."

Speaking softly but with a touch of arrogance, Keima did not leave a good impression with Tareda Miyako as she crossed her hands and shook her head but to her surprise, Chihiro raised a hand before Elsi could even begin to try and speak.

"No. But before we voice our opinions, as the founder of the Band, I would like to lay a few ground rules to you that you must comply with if you want to be our manager."

..

..

Keima nodded slowly while Elsi looked on fearfully. Ayumi on the other hand was looking torn between supporting Elsi or Miyako, who was nodding her head enthusiastically, knowing that Chihiro would make things difficult for the boy to join.

Not to mention he's the Otamegane! Why would Chihiro let him join in the first place?

..

"We practice every day of the week after school for an hour, as Manager, you will be responsible to find a room for us to practice and to provide refreshments for us."

An evil glint appeared in her eyes as she laid the terms down one by one. From being present in all the practice sessions, helping them with the setting up of equipment, helping them with the tempo and to cleaning up and carrying their stuff, Chihiro was simply labeling Keima as a manservant for them.

She was sure that he would never agree… but her hands were tied, she could not allow herself to show weakness to this boy just from the start… could she?

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"Chihiro! That's really mean to Katsura-…"

But the person to voice out a complaint was not Elsi, it was Ayumi who stood there shocked that she would be the one to say that.

"A-ayumi?"

Miyako asked her in confusion, why would she defend someone like him?

"I-it's not fair to anyone who wants to be our manager! Some of it is his job… I mean, a manager should still help us carry our bags and to help us with our room bookings… but some things like cleaning and packing up is our responsibility too right?"

She nudged Elsi and she nodded eagerly, happy that Ayumi is helping her too.

"That's right! Please, Chihiro-chan! Kami-Onii-sama said he'll help us and I think he can really really contribute to us!"

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This is Katsuragi Keima's plan… to go deep into enemy territory, to find out from those who knows best.

Who is the culprit, who is behind this… and at the same time, find out, what these girls really think of him after remembering what they did together...

It is a gamble, but maybe he himself wanted to know too.

He is a 'God', that is without a doubt. But what does the Normal Girl think? What does the World think of him?

That, is what he could find out as well…

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**Author's Note: Please be generous with your reviews, I'll take your feed back very seriously for this chapter and the sister fic. You can be a part of Change too!**


	10. Normal Things In Reality

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 10: Normal Things in Reality**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Be generous with your reviews people, that's how I improve!**

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"No problem, I'll do what you wish for me."

The boy called Katsuragi Keima answered almost immediately with no hesitation to her words and Kosaka Chihiro blinked in confusion. This was really not what she had expected, she wanted this to happen but was skeptical of him.

He couldn't be the person that she had dreamed about, had fantasized about and had suddenly recalled about.

It had bothered her, it must be a dream as she could recall no instance on when or what had happened between them besides that nagging feeling that they were actually quite close together.

But from that paper thin evidence, she was not sure… she wasn't sure that Katsuragi Keima could so something touching and impossible as what she had dreamt him doing for her sake.

"I said I'll help you, didn't I?"

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T-there! He repeated the words that she remembered him speaking to him and despite herself, Chihiro flushed so red that she swore steam were coming out of her ears and she coughed after several seconds to regain her composure.

It must be a fluke, he didn't even look embarrassed at repeating that line… well, not that it is really an embarrassing line in the first place!

It is just a promise between me and him… … sort of…

"W-well…"

She was unable to carry on, Ayumi was behaving a little odd today as she voiced out in his defense before anyone else. Was she…? Nah, she couldn't really like that person could she?

But if one think about it, Ayumi has been remarkably close to that Otamegane before I noticed it…

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"Chihiro-chan! Kami-Onii-sama has agreed to what you asked, so that means he can be our manager?"  
Bringing me back to reality, Elsi shook my hands eagerly while Ayumi just tried hard not to look too pleased. Tareda just seemed a little apprehensive but she greeted him formally after Katsuragi just nodded in acceptance.

"Then from today onwards, I'll be your manager… I'll go and book a room for today's practice."

He was strangely professional and I can imagine him dressed in a business suit with a tuxedo, it would look strangely fitting.

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"Neh neh, Elsi-chan! Don't you think Katsuragi would actually look like a manager if he wear sunglasses and carried a briefcase?"

Ayumi teased Elsi who nodded her head eagerly while sharing stories about how the both of them had went to the nearby amusement park and had enjoyed themselves tremendously while dressing up and going on the rides before Summer.

"Ehhh~ That sounds like fun~ perhaps we should go there someday~  
Tareda and Ayumi chimed in, apparently the park had just underwent some renovations and were open again only recently.

Sighing, Chihiro decided not to think so much about the matter of Katsuragi and get on to the real reason for this meeting during lunch.

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"Anyways, we have to get better… do you remember the challenge we made to Kanon-chan? We have to perform at Mai-High Fest too! We have to get better, I don't want to lose to her…"

Chihiro clenched her fist tighter as she slammed both her hands onto the table causing a loud sound to resonate in the empty classroom.

In reality she was afraid, afraid that she will be alone in this endeavor… she had been trying hard every day, practicing and practicing all Summer to try and get ready just to showcase to Kanon… and perhaps… Katsuragi that she too can sparkle.

"Like you said, we must play with the 'Heart' too desho?"

She opened her eyes a crack to see Ayumi resting her hands on hers and she winked and grinned in reply. Good old Ayumi, I knew I can count on her too.

"Of course, Chihiro-chan! I've been practicing hard too! We have to perform beside Kanon-chan in equal grounds!"

Pumping a hand in the air as she placed one hand on top of theirs, Elsi smiled brightly and lastly Tareda just nodded and placed her hands on top of the gathered hands.

"There is a saying in English. _[All for one and one for all]_, it sounds fitting for all of us, right?"

She smiled and the four friends raised their fists in the air in celebration of their renewed promise.

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Yes that's right, I have nothing to fear… I even has his support, I… I can really do this!

And after the Fest… after the fest I can… …

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Honestly, why did he sign up for this madness? The boy in question was not really a boy but the a** God, **the **Capturing God **to be exact and although he has prided himself in being able to ignore reality and treat it as a separate plane while living in his own little world of Galgames that he ruled over, he has made the first step in reconciling himself with the cursed plane that was reality.

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But he has a reason to do so, if it was not for that reason he would not even go near those girls. Why should he be concerned about the Girls who he had successfully 'captured' after all? He could remember how their 'routes' panned out and there is no reason for them to interact with him after that if their memories were all wiped.

But that same reason is why he had approached them… they must have remembered something as Chihiro had indeed reacted when he repeated the promise he had made to her after 'capturing' her.

**'I will help you and push you from behind if ever you feel discouraged."**

He had definitely said that to her and she had reacted when she ought not to if all her memories were erased…

That is why he had to press on.

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"… booking a room, cleaning after them, setting up their equipment, carrying their stuff and buying refreshments for them? What am I, their servant?"

He cursed to himself silently as he marched straight towards the Student Council room to secure a booking when all of a sudden he saw Haqua waiting for him at the end of the corridor.

"Oh, Haqua."

"Keima, did you find out anything?"

"Give me time… but I was right, they do possess memories from the time I 'captured' them. That alone is bad news…"

The demon in front of him sighed and shook her head while resting against the ceremonial scythe in her hands and yawning.

"You really got me into a pretty mess, Katsuragi…"

Calling him formally, Haqua blushed when Keima apologized by bowing to her formally.

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"I apologize, Haqua… but this time, I really need your assistance… would you please bear with it a while longer? I'll make it up to you."

Getting to his knees and bowing to the girl, Keima hoped that she would accede to his request. There was so much to find out, so much information that could be useful from the other girls. If it is Haqua, she would probably be able to fish out something just by using her magical raiment.

Perhaps she could detect some foul play while modifying and erasing their memories again?

Looking up, he was surprised to see Haqua pressing her skirt down and hugging her scythe close to her as she just replied in broken sentences.

"A-ah, no… really… Ahaha, If you put it that way I'll have to help you out, wouldn't I? I do owe you a favor after all… ahaha…"

That's right, Haqua did owe him a favor… Keima felt a little better when she agreed but that feeling disappeared when Haqua winked and commented that she would want that favor returned to her one day.

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"But putting this aside, I did what you asked me for…the memories of Yoshino Asami, Kasuga Kusonoki, Kujyo Tsukiyo, Aoyama Mio, Shiomiya Shiori and Ikoma Minami and all actions they have taken over the last week of summer till now have been modified and went through."

She rubbed her eyes and Keima noticed the black shadows under those eyes, she had been working all night for this? A pang of guilt rose in his chest on seeing how hard she was working for him and Keima adverted his eyes for a moment.

"Mm? Aren't you going to tell me what you have been doing?"

"Ah…"

Looking at him curiously, he was aware that he was blushing and he adverted his eyes a second time before coughing and filling her in on how he had gotten into their circle of friends and has verified that yes, there are indeed hints that both Takahara Ayumi and Kosaka Chihiro had regained some of their memories.

For now it is sufficient, he will continue to try and draw clues about how they remembered as well as to keep tabs on their statuses… Keima did not wish to see them possessed by spirits again.

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"I see, so you have not been just fooling around with the girls."

Crossing her legs, Haqua winked at Keima and waved goodbye to him as she took her leave. She did want to talk more with Keima but unfortunately she did not know what to talk to her about… holding conversations were never her strong point and so she decided to just give up right now before she disgraced herself again.

"Haqua."

Unexpectedly, he spoke up instead and before Haqua could turn around, he spoke.

"Thank you… and I'm sorry for making you do all this."

It sounded like a rejection to her and although Haqua knew she shouldn't cry, she still sniffed a little as she spoke back gruffly, hiding her sadness. She guessed that Keima just wanted to make things clear between them after all. They were only colleagues, never… close enough to end up in 'that' relationship.

Even if she might have a small wish that it might turn out this way…

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"Ah… it's not like I didn't expect it to turn out this way or anything…"

"…"

The two of them remained silent but then it was broken when Haqua giggled and turned around, hitting him on the shoulder roughly and then grinning back at Keima who was rubbing his shoulder in pain.

"Even so, you can count on me! I'll get the job done!"

Turning, she left for real while holding back the tears in her eyes as Keima sat on the ground and contemplated.

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It is not like him to give up on someone like that, but to say the truth… that decision was harder than he had imagined. Somehow the culprit wanted the girls to distract him so he could not find him… He did not know their motive but he was certain that was their objective.

As the **Capturing God, **he would 'capture' all the girls regardless of who they were… and as he was the partner of Elsi, if all the girls were to regain their memories and were possessed by the evil spirits again as a result, he would have to capture all of them all over again.

Right now if they could just modify their memories, they can allow him to find the truth without being harassed by the girls.

And… one of those girls is Haqua herself, Haqua herself might be one of those who have encountered the culprit without her knowing so.

..

She too had been possessed by a Spirit in his presence and although he was not the one who had captured her, there was the likelihood… no, there was the definite chance that, Haqua herself might have developed feelings for him due to their constant interaction with one another.

Her character 'type' did suggest that to Keima… and that was why he had 'rejected' her.

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It was odd… he had not have the experience of rejecting a heroine but he figured that would be the best choice so far.

He would rather cut off the infected limb before it starts to give him trouble… even if he does feel bad about rejecting Haqua in that fashion.

"… I really am changing…"

That is the **God's** own words as he stepped into the classroom to make the booking.

Change is forever around us and for the **God **it is his own belief that is changing, the belief that the 'real' girls in the world is not worth a second look.

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"S-sugoi…"

That was the only word that Ayumi and the rest could say as after school, Keima had led them to a storeroom which he has booked. But that was not the only difference. With Elsi's assistance, he had managed to turn it into a small studio as well.

Gone was the small, damp and depressing storeroom that was used to hold the Festivals old props, it was now their stage, the 2B Pencil's stage and the girls spent several minutes touring and marveling at the equipment that Keima brought in.

Scrounging in a couple of microphones, speakers, amplifiers and even a fully functional sound and playback system with a matching carpet, it was good enough for them to practice without booking a small studio from external parties.

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"You're amazing, Katsuragi-kun…"

Even Tareda had to swallow her words as the only sole skeptic of the band. That was to be expected as she had no prior dealings with Katsuragi at all. Ayumi and Chihiro knew instinctively that Keima can be trusted due to the past memories they 'shared' and well Elsi was her little sister and she knew Keima could do something like that, especially with her assistance after all.

However without his help, Elsi wouldn't be able to produce such items in the first place.

..

Thus it is a joint effort that Keima had praised her earlier on when he tested the system. He was skeptical that Elsi could pull it off but it would certainly earn him recognition for his efforts and allow him to endear himself to those girls.

Strictly to search for more information of course and it seems to be working, all of them seemed pleased and well, very excited at the prospects of being able to practice in school that each of them went around and shook his hands.

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"Ano… I'm sorry for doubting you, Katsuragi-kun."

Tareda was the first to do so and by doing so called him formally and yet, informally at the same time, a sign of warming ties and he nodded to her in reply.

"I am simply doing my part as the Band's Manager, I hope that together we can achieve your dream."

A clique line that he has produced out of the many lines in the different games he had played and he watched the affect on Tareda as she seemed taken aback and then giggled a little as she nodded too.

"Yes, we will work hard to not make your effort go to waste, Manager-san."

It seems that even Tareda is beginning to have a better opinion of him; that is definitely a good thing as well. The same goes for the other two girls who were sliding up behind Tareda, trying to speak too.

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"Katsuragi, I know you can do it! He showed you right, Chihiro~"

"Hmph, alright… I admit you can be our Band Manager, on probation for now."

She seemed unwilling to admit defeat but from the way she was fidgeting, she really wanted him to stay and he played his cards correctly by saying…

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* * *

_1. I guess my best isn't enough, perhaps I should leave…_

_2. Ahaha, Chihiro-san is really funny~ Let's do our best from now on!_

_3. I'll try my best to improve my skills as a Manager than, go easy on me!_

_

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_

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..

If Chihiro is a tsundere girl, he would naturally pick choice one, but unfortunately he was not targeting to capture Chihiro or Ayumi, that choice would trigger flags from both of them.

Thus, the only choice that is available for him is logically, choice 3!

* * *

..

..

"I'll try my best to improve my skills as a Manager than, go easy on me, alright?"

Flashing a small smile, Keima hoped that he was right and did not trigger any flags.

Would he be proven correct?

* * *

**Author's Notes: I guess enough clues have been given on who is involved in this Arc =)**


	11. A New Target

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 11: A New Target  
**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

**..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Endless flags! And well, been busy with Toaru..**

**..**

**..  
**

Katsuragi Keima held his breath as he watched the expressions of the three girls, this was actually a test of his own skills. To 'capture' a girl, the key thing is to keep meeting with the other party. Love at first sight is not actually possible in the Real or the Gaming 'worlds' as infatuation is a passing thing.

Love have to be nurtured by showing attention, affection and awareness of the other party's feelings. In short, the Triple A theory!

He has made the first move, a very powerful move to make himself known to the three girls by impressing them with his managerial skills by transforming the storeroom into a suitable venue for their practice.

Next is to slowly get close to them once again… without trigging too many flags.

… this is really a very hard challenge as the **Capturing God** exists to 'capture' and not to be 'just friends'. If any game has a 'just friend' ending, he would raze it to the ground himself as well!

To balance three girl's flag at the same time was no easy task, he could recall a game that actually made it so difficult he had to replay it from the start once he screwed up. His job was not to let Terada feel left out or make her fall in love with him as well.

But his analytical mind was quick enough to produce all the relevant flow charts in his mind instantly in this scenario…

That is, the power of the **Capturing God!**

..

..

'Ahaha, Katsuragi-kun, you're really good at cracking a joke, I know you're holding back to surprise desho?'

Smiling, Tareda replied while the other two girls seemingly just woke up from a dream. Ayumi having a very red blush on her face while Chihiro was trying hard to hide hers by coughing and announcing that they should probably start the practice session.

Where did he go wrong? That wasn't supposed to a flag… u-unless…

..

..

'… that is the dual capturing option?'

Running a hand down his face, Keima ran through the list of games he had played mentally and slowly came to the realization that it was indeed possible for him to 'capture' two girls in a game if the game setup was able to allow it.

'… tsk…'

This, is really getting interesting now. So he must force 'Bad impressions' while still getting close to them and he can't use 'shortcuts' like 'flags' to increase his points?

Hah… HAHA! This is worthy of a challenge of the **Capturing God** after all… this may seem impossible, but the word 'Impossible' is not in his dictionary!

'Keima-kun? Are you going to help us with the tuning?'

Nodding as she turned to Ayumi and Elsi, both who were fiddling with their electronic guitars, Keima hurried over to land a hand, unaware that Elsi had been staring at all of them from a distance, seemingly left out from the conversation.

* * *

..

..

'Neh, Kami-onii-sama~ Arigato!'

Beaming at him as he helped her with her guitar, Elsi could not help but indeed, feel a little left out as he tuned her instrument with ease. He had stayed up all night trying to research on stuff that would prove helpful to his 'campaign'. She knew that something big was going on as he had been talking to Haqua for an hour or so and hearing his request, Elsi felt, not for the first time… that she was just a burden to him.

She wanted to help him, she really did… but if he did not need or want her help, there was really nothing she can do except not get in his way or be a burden.

..

..

'Elsi?'

Hearing Chihiro calling out to her, she looked up and smiled at her. She has to act natural or she'll really be getting in his way. Forcing a very bright smile, she skipped over to Chihiro to look over the score that she was going to play today. They were just a fledging band and so, it would take lots of hard work for them to actually be selected for the Mai-High-Fest.

She knew that and she had been practicing for ages, hopefully it would pay off for her as well?

Crossing her fingers, she nodded and started practicing by herself, humming the tune softly to familiarize herself with the way it was going to be.

'Mm… I hope, Kami-Onii-sama would see my effort…'

Whispering to herself, she looked up to the **God **that was looking over them all, sitting at the corner and nodding as he dimmed the lights, closed the door and waited for them to start.

* * *

..

..

Who does he think he is really?

Kosaka Chihiro swore to herself as she tried to hide herself staring at Keima, she didn't know that besides that usual clueless or freaky face, he was actually quite good looking. If he just relaxed and smiled a bit more, he would definitely be classified as one of the cutest guys in the School.

Not hot, mind you, but cute… he had that feminine touch of him that made his looks standout even with his glasses. Was that his genuine smile? Now she can even picture him looking good in some semi-formal attire…

'… Le-let's get started!'

Reminding herself that they were here for a reason and that is to practice, not getting herself distracted by him.

Turning away, she headed straight for her bag and pulled out the scores for the song that they were going to practice, they had taken some time to decide on the song they were going to rehearse for Mai-Fest but after hearing a new song that Elsi proposed, they had unanimously decided on it.

'Let's hope he gets it though…'

Sighing, Chihiro found herself thinking of him again and she slapped her own cheeks to force herself to focus. It wouldn't be good for the group if even she get distracted.

'… I have to work harder after all, it's a promise…'

..

..

Trying to recall what had happened between them, Chihiro was more convinced that they did share some experience together. The image of the boy who had offered his help, letting her be able to decide and make her own dream too was hazy at best.

To be honest, she had always found it odd that she had find that Otamegane to be odd and yet, strangely seem to have pride in being that way. He was radically different from her, who wanted to 'shine' to others by being special. He 'shines' by being different, it must be a hard path…

That was probably why when she suddenly remembered that important memory, of her finding her dream, finding it okay to be herself, she linked it to him automatically. Amongst all the people around her, only he would be the one who would encourage her to be different from the norm.

Odd, seeing that she can really only imagine him telling that to one of his 'gamegirls'…

'Ahaha… So 2D, is better than 3D huh?'

Mumbling to herself, she watched wistfully as Ayumi spoke with him casually, almost like they were friends from before.

* * *

..

..

'Neh, Keima-kun~ I didn't know you were knew anything about music. I guess you really can't judge books by their cover, right?'

Smiling cheerfully as she watched him set up her guitar and tuning it, Ayumi was dissatisfied when he just nodded his head while frowning over it.

'neh, is there something wrong? I was practicing the whole night, did I really break it?'

Kneeling beside him, Ayumi got too close for Keima's comfort and he shuffled away a little, causing her to blush.

'Ah-… If Keima-kun doesn't like me being so close…' She had always been friendlier to Keima when compared to her classmates and Keima did suspect her of retaining some of her memories or at least, some feelings for him when he was 'capturing' Chihiro.

He can write that off by saying that Ayumi was actually just trying to help her classmate out, but that wouldn't fit as he was never close to any of his classmates and it was the same with them to him.

Thus, Keima was actually more worried that he would actually trigger a confession from Ayumi earlier than any of the other girls…

But Minami's confession did throw him off the day before, thankfully Haqua was able to quash rumors about it quickly and modify their memories so it never happened in this 'world'.

..

..

'No, it's that you might get hurt by accident being so close to the equipment.'

Sighing as he still can't say any hurtful words, he winced internally as Ayumi blushed even more and muttered about how caring he is really.

'Keima-kun should open up to the class more, I think they will treat you better if you… showed yourself as who you really are…'

She muttered softly but then added quickly as Keima was about to speak in his defense.

'But, maybe Keima-kun just doesn't trust people that much… that's why, I'm happy that you decided to help us, thank you, Keima-kun.'

Smiling as she took the guitar from him, Ayumi's heart did a skip as she realized that she has effectively silenced him, a feat that was really difficult to do. But she knew she had scored when Keima turned just a little redder than usual before handing her the guitar with no complaints whatsoever.

..

..

_Yes! A victory for me!_

Now all she can do is to try and increase the bond shared between the two of them. She can do it, she know she can!

* * *

..

..

The practice session had kicked off and after listening to their first rehearsal, Keima was left speechless… at how bad they really were.

Indeed, they themselves knew that but they had worked hard and it had showed. Especially with Elsi, who was getting better and Terada, who was getting more fluent in her keystrokes. The ones who were showing effort but not performing were Chihiro and Ayumi.

Chihiro's weakness was that she seemed to can't quite control her pitch and she wasn't quite a showman as Ayumi or Elsi was. It seems that her concern that her band members were getting all the attention was quite true.

For Ayumi, she had too much 'show' and too little 'talent'. Despite working hard, she was probably the least musically gifted among the four of them. Elsi was balanced in all aspects but she needed more fine-tuning, something Keima told her as he commented.

..

'But you did well, Elsi'

Closing one eye as he praised her by rubbing her head, which she requested from him as a reward, he was oblivious to the other two staring at them and biting their lips in apparent jealousy or awe.

For Terada, she had been playing on the keyboard for a while before they set-up the band and thus she was the most talented in the musical field.

However, she was lacking in showmanship as well, something Keima drilled to the four girls after the first session.

..

..

Producing a whiteboard from nowhere, he made the girls sit down in a circle surrounding him as he started his lecture, pushing his glasses up as he listed the requirements of a Girl band to them.

The term: [S.S.S]was written on the whiteboard and although Elsi just sighed at being lectured like that, the other girls were grumbling at being forced to listen to this 'nonsense' when they could be practicing.

..

..

'Silence! You have to understand, you cannot depend on 'Sex Appeal' to make this band succeed!'

The girls were shocked but Keima's next line made them a little afraid of their manager as he grinned slyly and started writing on the whiteboard again.

'**S** stands for Shared Story! There must be a story about why all the four of you gathered together, there must be history between all four of you, a shared story that allows all four of you to bond together. This is a Band, a band created to achieve your dreams, do not look at it lightly. This might be your final and only stage!'

Watching as their jaws dropped, Keima took the initiative and continued to the next '**S**'.

..

..

'The Second **S** stands for Sister-ship, all four of you are classmates, are friends. But through your practice, through the experiences, all of you would have to treat each other as sisters.

THERE IS NO I in the word BAND! Do you understand? Likewise, all of you must help each other out… a Band is not about showcasing yourself, it is showcasing your love for music. Never forget that!'

Pointing an accusing finger at Chihiro, who was unable to retort as he really made sense, Keima finished his 'small' lecture by explaining the last '**S**' to the four girls, who by now were hanging on to his every word.

..

..

'The Last **S** stands for Showmanship and Skill! We have only a few weeks before the Ma-High-fest, if you wish to participate in, all of you will have to put in 100% of your time and effort. There will be no slacking, no complaints. If you do want to reach that Final Stage, you have to put in the equal amount of effort to get the require Showmanship and skill!

No one will bother at a band who is able to perform but is unable to stir emotions with the crowd, to let them feel what you are playing and performing for. You are performing for yourselves and them at the same time! If there is anyone who wish to pity you, make sure it is not yourselves!'

..

..

Slamming a hand on the whiteboard, he continued. The Last **S** is the most important one after all.

'All of you have the skill, hidden deep inside you. It is time for you to find it and display it for the world to see. Even if you can perform, it is futile if your music does not pull their heartstrings. Play with your 'heart', not your body! Do not memorize the movement with your fingers when you are playing, feel the 'music', feel the 'rhythm' and feel the 'emotions!'

..

..

There was a brief pause as Keima took a deep breath and then smiled as he tapped the whiteboard with a ruler.

'And that, is how you will be a Good Band, is that understood, 2-B Pencils?'

The manager looked at them while crossing his arms and the girls looked among themselves before they replied with force and passion, something that he had instilled in them after that brief speech.

It was not that Chihiro is not a leader or that she can't give an inspiring speech. It was just that, just by listening to him, they felt his own passion, his belief of a real band, playing the music that they loved and liked and wished to share to the masses.

Just by listening to him, the girls felt that they could do it, to achieve that standard that their manager has set for them.

..

..

'Manager-san, how can I improve then!'

Raising her hands, Terada beat the rest of the girls in asking for help and he immediately answered, cutting straight to the point of the problem with a blunt sentence.

'Terada-san has Skill but is lacking in showmanship. Perhaps a change in how you played the Keyboard could be changed or your placement in the band has to be changed…'

But that did not phase her, in fact she just listened to his suggestions of changing her posture when playing and showing a little dramatization of her playing.

'Basically, it is never bad to over dramatize your playing if it shows your passion. However, you will have to make sure it does not go over the top. That is my suggestion, as above.'

Clapping his hands together, Katsuragi Keima nodded when it was Elsi's turn to raise her hands.

..

..

'Kami-Onii-sama, what about me?'

'Elsi, you are the most balanced player in the band, with a balance between your skills and your showmanship. In short, I believe Elsi stands out in the band. However, as Chihiro is the leader of the band, she would have to work harder to capture more attention.'

Praising Elsi and giving a little suggestion to Chihiro, Elsi was happy at the praise but hoped that Chihiro would not feel offended when she raised a hand unhappily.

'What can I do then, Manager-san.'

Her eyes were showing that she was not displeased, in fact she was kind of impressed and wanted to learn from him.

'Being the Leader of the Band, you are supposed to be the one leading the others, you can share the limelight, but you have to ensure that you are _the _leader and not just there for show. Be more forceful in your actions, your showmanship is decent but your skills are pulling your down. Practice your vocalization more, no one has a bad voice, it all depends on what song you sing and whether you could portray it well.'

..

..

'Then… what about me?'

Raising her hand timidly, Ayumi was gratified when Keima nodded and then explained to her as well.

'Takahara has the showmanship quality to be the 'face' of the group, but you are lacking in skill… practice more often and you should be able to compensate for that.'

Pushing his glasses up, Keima then wrote a few lines that made the girls feel even more stressed at their predicament.

_'THE TARGET IS MAI-FEST, THE STAGE WILL BE YOUR BEST AND YOUR DEBUT! THE TIME LIMIT, 3 WEEKS!'_

_.._

_..  
_

* * *

**Author's Notes: And thus, IdolMster is bo- /me shot**


	12. Sung from her Heart

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 12: Song from Her Heart**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I'm SPOILED! SPOILED YOU HEAR? WHY MUST I KNOW SPOILERS?**

**..**

**..  
**

Sitting by herself as she tried to tune her guitar, Ayumi reflected on Keima's words to them.

_'THE TARGET IS MAI-FEST, THE STAGE WILL BE YOUR BEST AND YOUR DEBUT! THE TIME LIMIT, 3 WEEKS!'_

..

..

It would have seemed odd if it came from anyone else, but if it came from Keima, it sounded achievable, even tempting and motivating for all of them.

She initially joined this band was not just because of her friendship with Chihiro, but because she felt that it would be an interesting experience as well. It would be a place for her to meet new friends, to challenge herself in accepting something new. She never knew that it would be a motivating experience as well, something that would get her fired up just like her love, running.

Her passion is running and when she was running she seemed to be escaping from all her fears, sadness and headaches.

All of it seemed to disappear from her mind when she does her runs. It is an enjoyable and unforgettable experience that makes her want to run faster each time.

But now, the experience of playing in the band seems to be making that feeling pale in comparison…

She is born to run, that she was sure about…

..

..

But why does she feel so alive when she is playing as well? Why does she want to be seen playing now.

Or was it… simply that she wants to shine in front of him, want to be praised and accepted by him, Katsuragi Keima as he handed out some refreshments to the member of the all-girl bamd.

..

'Keima-kun…'

She whispered softly to herself as her heart beat faster as he approached to hand a cold drink to her. Grasping it while uttering her thanks, she took her time to hold onto it, pressing it against her chest as she smiled at him.

'Thank you, very much… Keima-kun.'

'? Don't mention it, Takahara, I'm your manager, aren't I?'

Nodding his head as she nodded her head and nervously spoke, Keima tilted his head in confusion at her words.

'I-If it's okay… would you watch me practice a little? I… I want to get better too…'

Admitting to him shyly, Ayumi whispered another line to herself when he wasn't watching, contemplating about her request.

'I… don't want you to look at anyone else….'

'Did you say something, Takahara?'

Blushing when he raised an eyebrow, Ayumi denied that furiously and then gave a brilliant smile when he nodded his head, acceding to her request.

'I'll do whatever I can…'

'T-then! I'll be in your care! Please take care of me!'

Getting up and bowing to him as he started to tune her guitar, Takahara Ayumi pulled ahead of the crowd once again by charging forward with her true feelings at the starting line!

Will the other girls have a chance to catch up?

* * *

..

..

'Hmph…'

Crossing her arms as she started on the 'homework' that she was given by Keima, Kosaka Chihiro frowned as she looked at the lyrics on her lap.

It was frustrating to admit, but his comments about her were all true. Talk about striking the hammer on the head at the exact places where, if she improved, would enable her to perform better.

It was all about control, control and how she breathes while singing. If she is to be the lead, she must practice using the right technique after all.

She is the lead! She mustn't lose out to the other members of the group!

...

..

_'Even if you seem to have no talent at the start, it is all about practice and nothing else. Work hard and you will be able to achieve what is rightfully yours.'_

_..  
_

He had said that while tossing a small piece of paper to her and trying to demonstrate how she should practice. There seemed to be some truth in his words as her technique in singing was wrong and regretfully she found herself breathless in some occasions.

'Who does he think he is…'

Shaking her head, she… well, knew exactly who exactly he is supposed to be. His name is Katsuragi Keima, Otamegane and the freakiest boy in school… was not the temporary band manager of the 2-B Pencils.

She hated to admit it once again… but with him… maybe, just maybe they can actually be selected to perform at the Mai-High Fest.

..

Chihiro really, really wanted to take part in it as it would symbolize that she has indeed achieved something that can enable her to 'shine' and be unique.

She would have finally created something that she can be proud of, something that can distinguish herself from the other girls in class and surrounding him.

After all, it is her dream, to find something that would make her 'shine'!

For something, to make her from 'ordinary' to 'unique'.

With Katsuragi, perhaps that can happen.

She… hoped to be special to him too, just like how she views him as special, as unique and different than anyone else he has ever met.

..

..

Even if they had gotten off on a bad start, it was not yet over. She still had a chance! If she just try to make up to him now…

It seems that she owes him an apology as he was really amazing, to gather all the equipment as well as to give such critical and good feedback to all of them on how to improve.

It has been a long time coming, but she has finally ceased to being the core and heart of the group and handed that position to Keima.

He can be the one to motivate, drive and inspire the group in the coming days.

'In that case… I can't lose to him too, can I?'

Smiling as she looked at his instructions and diagrams as he passed her, starting to train her voice, controlling it as well as watching her breath control.

All of it, to achieve her and their dreams.

* * *

..

..

'Ah, Kami-Onii-sama…'

Looking at Keima with big and watering eyes, Elsi clenched her fist as she tried to focus on her task at hand, improving her skills in playing.

She was glad at being praised by him in front of everyone, but she thought that the praise that she won was not enough.

'Uuwuu…'

Looking at her fingers, which were red from all the practice that she had done last night, she felt a little cheated as she worked so hard and she was rewarded with a praise that barely was praise at all.

_'But you did well, Elsi.'_

_.._

_..  
_

Well? That is all she got? She was happy that she was petted on the head, but it felt like it was just given to her to help stir up Ayumi and Chihiro-chan's feelings… how can she be happy if that was his real motive?

Even in his words state that she was the best performer… it didn't seem that way to her. It was as if he was purposely doing that to avoid her too!

'…'

Sighing, she tried hard to banish those thoughts from her head while nursing her wounds. A growing sense of resentment was welling up in her chest even as she tried to suppress it.

The source of it, was of course… the boy who was helping Ayumi-chan at the moment.

..

..

He himself knew what he was doing. The fact is that he can't let any one of the girls be favored over the others as it was a precarious situation.

There was the high chance that they would 'relapse' and be the target of new 'spirits' seeking to possess them.

Currently the 'gaps' in their hearts were filled by his presence. By 'capturing' them, their gap was filled and he was able to release them from the spirit's possession.

If they were to lose faith in him, either by them misunderstanding him and thus rejecting him or by them not believing in his words and support any longer… they would be become prime candidates to be possessed again.

And unlike last time, he would not be able to save them…

At least, not that easily.

He is the **Capturing God, **as **God **there is nothing he cannot do. But at the same time, there are things that he should not concern himself with.

..

..

It was that exact thing, his belief that in that his closest ally, Elsi was fine… that caused him to hurt her the most.

* * *

..

..

'Ah… like this?'

Trying to play softly to get the right beat and feel of the song, Ayumi tried hard to do what he had said:

_'Play with your 'heart', not your body! Do not memorize the movement with your fingers when you are playing, feel the 'music', feel the 'rhythm' and feel the 'emotions!'_

But it was not working well for her as she was too conscious of the boy that was staring at her and she smiled weakly as Keima shook his head.

It was like what he suspected, Ayumi had the sufficient 'showmanship' but was lacking in musical talent. Even if she seems a little stiffened performing for him.

It was not her fault, being involved in the Track-&-Field club makes her schedule very hectic.

But it can't be used as an excuse, if she does use that, she's sure that Keima would be mad at her.

So all she can do is to repeatedly play the same song over and over again, trying to grasp that feeling inside of her, the feeling that she was trying to express.

..

..

'… Perhaps we shouldn't use the score after all. Try playing a song you are familiar with, Takahara… try to synchronize it with the song of your heart. Try to imagine that you are playing this song from your heart. You can hum the song if you wish to…'

Changing tactics, Keima reached over to pull the score away from her as Ayumi just stared at her in confusion.

'Listen to me, Takahara. I can see you are trying… but perhaps I am asking too much of you right now. So relax… and try to imagine, try to listen to the song that you wish to play. It can be any song… I promise I won't laugh at you…'

Leaning closer to her, Keima held her hands as Ayumi gave a faint yelp of surprise.

'Just play, and sing if you want to. I want to hear it, the song that is playing in your heart.'

..

..

She did not know if Keima was just trying to trick her or just trying to get an excuse to get close to her. But Ayumi felt her heart beat faster than ever, as if it was ready to burst from her chest while he was holding her hands.

'Who do you want to play for? Why… do you wish to play… you are playing for someone, for the audience… aren't you? So relax… take your time… it's your stage.'

Smiling as Ayumi just stared at him, mouth half opened as she trembled, warmth spreading through her body as Keima continued, seemingly oblivious to what she was feeling being told that.

..

..

**'So play from your heart, don't just rely on those lyrics. You can forget all of them. You'll get better, slowly but surely… and all the songs that you will play will have your 'voice' embedded in them. I'll be able to hear you, Takahara Ayumi telling me your feelings through your playing. Then, no matter what song the band will play, will be unique and special.'**

..

..

He has no idea what his words meant to Ayumi or the girls around him as all of them erupted into a terrific blush that left her weak in the knees so that she can only slowly slide down to her knees as he watched with confusion.

As he is the **Capturing God, **he trigger flags naturally, without thinking, planning for them.

..

His words touched her, as it did to all the other girls who were present. His speech and how he presented it showed why he was bestowed the title of **God.** Even if he may not be the Magician of words, he can still influence the masses with such a simple speech.

'H-Hai! I will!'

Clutching his hand in turn, Ayumi failed to recognize the look of panic that Keima had when he realized that he can actually see parts of her hidden assets in that angle as Ayumi leaned close to him.

As Ayumi wrapped her hands lovingly around his, Keima noticed that Chihiro and strangely enough, Elsi, was staring at the two of them intently while gripping their instruments tightly.

..

..

_Tsk, did I over do it? It seems that I am focusing too much on Takahara by accident. Looks like I need to get more comfortable in capturing 3 heroines instead of the usual 1…_

_.._

_..  
_

Pulling back as Ayumi gave a cry of surprise and then of embarrassment, Keima coughed and signaled for her to continue.

'It's not about what song you are playing. It is about passion and the message you are sending with it while you are playing.'

Nodding to him, Ayumi started to play again. This time the song she decided to play was the song that she first learnt and as she closed her eyes and slowly played, everyone's focus turned to her.

Slowly, she got into the grove playing and then humming the song quietly to herself as Keima nodded in satisfaction and plugged it into the amplifier without her noticing.

"~~~"

* * *

..

..

Lost in the song, Takahara Ayumi played to the members of her own band. It was not a difficult song, a very simple one in fact. Nor does it have a very fast or catchy tune. It was a slow, soothing song with few ups and downs… quite unlike Ayumi herself.

But it touched them, just like it had touched her and she had never forgotten it… it touched all of them in the room as she played.

Her emotions surely reached them that day.

It was like Keima said, she just had to remember why and what she was playing for.

And the person she is playing for, is perhaps the person who is nodding, satisfied at her performance just in front of her.

..

..

It is not the best she can do, but it was leaps and bounds above what she has been playing prior to this. It is slow progress, but at least it is a start.

..

'Excellent… You did great, Takahara.'

Praising her, Ayumi smiled cheerfully too in reply as she stopped and bowed to him.

'Is that alight, Katsuragi-kun? Is this the feeling you are talking about?'

She hoped that she had got it right as her face was crimson with embarrassment.

She had thought about him when she was playing, imagining that there was no one else but him. He will be her only audience and she was playing, performing while confessing to him.

What kind of feelings passed through her while she confessed to him? Surely a mix of emotions that was stronger than anything she had felt before.

Why did she have that vision? Why did she want nothing more than to make it a reality?

She did not know… but at least, she knew that her feelings for him were true.

The welling feeling in her heart, threatening to explode in her chest as she sung to him… was the most terrible and wonderful feeling she has ever felt.

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..

Looking to him with wondering eyes, she was rewarded with a nod and a sigh as he exaggerated.

'Yes, that's what it should be, Takahara… it took a while… but congratulations.'

He sniffed while looking away. It was as if he too, knew what he was thinking.

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It is the End of the First day, the First Flag and the First Events…

At least… till you turn the page…

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**Author's Notes: I don't know how I can write such sugary stuff without getting diabetes.. /**


	13. Different from the Rest

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 13: Different from the Rest**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: I really regret leaving out Yui Guidou… But then again, I have no interest nor experience in Otomegames to really make her viable.**

**Looking for a Beta-Reader! Check my profile for my requirements~**

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Kosaka Chihiro was filled with regret. No, filled with unease at her position being taken away from her by Ayumi. She was supposed to be the lead! The one who drives the band and who gathered all of them to for this band and not just to be a supporting role!

She felt bad that she was feeling this way; envious and jealous of Ayumi. But she can't help herself…

But If Ayumi can do it, so can she!

Clenching her fist, she told that to herself as she smiled back at Ayumi, who was looking around at everyone present who were clapping their hands at her performance.

..

..

It is a wonderful performance by her, even if it wasn't anything special, it was still a stellar performance as everyone present could feel her emotions vibrating from that song she played and wanted an encore.

It really doesn't need to be something difficult or classy for it to be good and for people to enjoy the music. It needs to engage the audience as well!

If Ayumi lacks musical talent and training, perhaps she has overcame that with the ability to resonate her feelings into the tune that she is playing.

..

'Sugoi!'

Terada clapped her hands in response and soon, Elsi and Chihiro joined as Ayumi just scratched her head in embarrassment at getting such praise from all of them.

Naturally she was more delighted with Keima's praise for her as her eyes shone in joy at hearing him praise her.

..

..

'We'll take 5 for now before we continue. Let's try to replicate that while you are playing with the band, Takahara. Don't forget that feeling you had.'

Nodding as he pushed his glasses up, the manager and the **Capturing God**, Katsuragi Keima turned towards the other band members and repeated himself.

'Shall we end today's session with another rehearsal? It is getting a bit late. This might be our last chance to practice today. As such, perhaps we should change the score to something simpler...'

Musing to himself, he went to his bag and began to dig through it for a musical score, which he raised triumphantly above his head when he did indeed find it.

'Here, I made copies… it's a simple one, so I expect all of you to be able to play it perfectly together. Let's try it in half an hour's time.'

* * *

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'Hmm…'

Elsi was having a little difficulty in understanding the new score. It was Keima's plan and perhaps his way of finding out who is actually putting the effort in the right way and who is taking a shortcut.

If one merely memorizes how to play a particular song, it defeats the purpose. This had flushed out Elsi, who although have been putting effort, is not really adept or well trained in reading musical scores in the first place.

'K-Kami-Onii-sama…

She looked at him with watering and pleading eyes while Keima just sighed as he passed her. Perhaps he was expecting too much from her after all….

'Elsi…'

He squatted down and placed one hand on the devil as she struggled to make sense of the score.

'Take it slowly… read it one by one. I know that you can do it.'

Trying to encourage her, he was rewarded when Elis, after struggling with reading, took a few deep breaths upon hearing his advice and then began to refocus herself when Keima passed her a book detailing how to read scores.

'Ah! K-kami-onii-sama…'

She took it gratefully with tearful eyes while Keima just commented on how she exaggerated her plight with a sigh.

'Don't disappoint me, Elsi.'

Closing one eye, he stood up while Elsi nodded her head and started working hard on it again.

..

..

It was something that only she can do. That much was certain and although she felt a little disappointed at the lack of support or attention she was getting from Keima up till now, she felt a little relieved that he was still paying her some attention.

This helped to stifle the growing unease in her heart as she giggled to herself and started to practice again, using the book as a guide to help her.

She did not know herself, but the growing unease would soon overwhelm her despite her best efforts. Such were the effects of the silent but deadly seed that had been planted inside her long ago; one that had been nurtured slowly and steadily by being with the **Capturing God. **

It may seem to be trivial, but their daily interactions had only served to create the false impression that had imprinted itself in Elsi's mind.

..

..

They are partners and therefore it is unnecessary to bring that relationship to another level.

But Elsi had made that fatal mistake by becoming his sister in the process. Even if they were not blood relations in truth, they were indeed one family. Borders and lines can be redrawn with the inclusion of 'Share Memories' of which they have plenty.

Even if they do not wish for it to happen, the unmistakably fact was that it was too late and it has already begun.

They were linked together, by the red thread of fate under the same roof.

It is inevitable that one would wish to be together… unconditionally in this scenario.

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'…'

Keima closed his eyes as he listened to the girls playing in front of him. For a reason that was unknown to him, he felt that he was being watched, or that the girls were paying more attention to him all of a sudden.

No matter where he shifted himself, their eyes followed him. It's almost if they were collectively holding their breath and waiting for his nod of approval.

'Tsk…'

This is, pretty much a very bad scenario.

His goal is to stabilize the scenario before slowly getting more information about any reoccurring or similar experiences that they shared among their Summer Holidays.

There will be, must be something that is similar linking all of them together. It is just that he did not know what exactly…

Did they meet with someone who helped them regain their memories? Or did the memory modification wore out after repeated attempts by the girls themselves to recover those memories of him?

..

It is not a question of whether their memories return, they definitely returned. This he can tell from the way they stared at him without any comprehensible reason with those flushed cheeks when they thought he wasn't looking.

He is the **Capturing God, **if there is anyone in the world who would know, it would be him.

He is not as dense as the protagonist in some Games he played. He knows when exactly a girl feels strongly, or is attracted to a person.

Right now, in this very moment… Takahara Ayumi and Kosaka Chihiro were the two persons who did fit into those criteria. And it is causing him a headache just thinking about it.

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..

He is not supposed to be 'capturing' them, but they are… offering to be 'captured'. It is difficult to refuse a 'flag' without losing 'points' from them.

Keima was tempted to reject Ayumi's request to help her practice, but he couldn't as it would not be befitting his role as a manager.

But his words of encouragement seemed to have earned him too many points as well, an unwanted side effect he did not desire to see.

..

'It is a bit rough… but we can polish that up.'

He seemed disharmony within the group. Especially among Ayumi, Chihiro… and shockingly of all, Elsi as they seemed to be competing with each other for attention.

Ayumi and Elsi were included to attract attention, their looks and showmanship were pretty good.

But this time, even Chihiro is displaying herself more aggressively than usual.

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'You are a group, you are performing together… always remember that! You are not fighting with each other for attention!'

Making sure that everyone present got an eyeful of his glare, Keima shook his head and clapped his hands together.

'Still, it is an improvement. It seems that all of you have got the idea of 'performing' right. That is a definite start.'

It signaled the end of today's session and all the girls breathed a sigh of relief that it was over and all of them realized how nervous they had been in front of Keima.

..

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'Haaah… Katsuragi-kun really makes me nervous… he must really be suited to be a manager, desho?'

Resting on top of her keyboard, Terada commented to the girls, who slowly nodded back as they hugged their instruments, a little breathless while Keima started packing up the equipment in the background.

'I… I've never felt happier playing today…'

Ayumi confessed while packing up hr stuff even as Chihiro scowled a little as she crossed her arms.

'W-Well… I suppose so… he has to be good, as we'll be getting better and better!'

Pumping her fist in the air, Chihiro declared with the girls nodding and adding to her enthusiasm as well.

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'Sure we will, Chihiro-chan!'

'I'll work hard too! Ehee~'

'We'll definitely be playing for the Mai-High Fest!'

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It took a while for Keima to finish packing and to be honest, he wasn't putting his full effort or mind into it.

He was gaming with one hand while methodically packing away the equipment with the other.

He didn't really need to put so much effort into it as Elsi can just return them to their original state but he figured he'll create the impression that he was working hard while letting the girls disperse to avoid any further flags.

If it became normal for them to be seen conversing with him, it would no doubt help them advance their relationship to the next level of 'friends' or 'close friends', which he really wanted to avoid.

..

..

And… he was getting a bit behind his games.

'Whew… that's another route completed…'

Wiping away the sweat on his forehead, Keima left the room after piling the equipment into one corner and covering all of them with a black sheet. It'll turn back into Elsi's raiment by nightfall soon enough anyway.

As he had expected and judged, there should be no one waiting for him as he has taken about an hour to finish up and he nodded to himself as he left the room.

It is tiring to play the role of a character that is 'well natured' as he wouldn't classify himself as a protagonist (**Author's Notes: Too bad~ You're proven wrong!) **as he does not have the qualities that endear him to the girls.

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He likes gaming, he prefers '2D' girls to '3D' girls and lastly, he does not or is given the chance to socialize with girls as well. All those 3 points automatically de-classify him from being a protagonist in a Galge.

Additional points to back him up is that he:

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**1. **Does not have a Sister who is not a blood relation **(Author's Notes: Elsi)**

2. Does not have a childhood friend **(Author's Notes: Tenri)**

3. Does not study in a school with more girls in proportion to guys **(Author's Notes: Lies)**

4. Does not get in odd situations with members of the opposite sex **(Author's Notes: Lies)**

5. Is not surrounded with odd girls that stand out in school or his surroundings. **(Author's Notes: Lies)**

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Argh, it seems that he is digging his own grave and he shook his head, running a hand down his face as he returned to his game and left the room.

Now is the time for him to game, not to ponder unnecessarily with such trivial matters.

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'Katsuragi.'

Or so he thought as he froze as he heard a voice and he slowly looked up from his game to look to the side.

'Katsuragi. What took you so long?'

Narrowing her eyes as she crossed her arms, Kosaka Chihiro was leaning against the windows of the corridor as she sniffed unhappily at him.

Apparently she had been waiting for him all along and Keima took a second to recover before going back to his game and ignoring her.

Ignore her. Ignore the reality that is pulling him into something that he did not want again!

He would want to do that as he could simply walk away and pretended not to see her, which he tried by taking a few steps away from her.

..

'Katsuragi! Where do you think you are going! It's raining! You didn't bring your umbrella, right?'

Pointing that fact out to him, Keima paused and slowly, mechanically turned back to look at Chihiro, who was twirling the small umbrella she held in her hands while looking away.  
Curses… this is indeed a very very elaborate trap.

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Normally in a game the scene would build up to the protagonist being the one who offers an umbrella to the girl, but in this case, it is reversed. Did she plan on waiting here for him?

No… that can't be. Last he checked it was not raining, it must have started raining only around 15-20 minutes ago. Does this mean this is an honest coincidence?

'… did you wait here for me?'

Asking bluntly to him, Keima did not fail to notice the blush on Chihiro's face as she shook her head and laughed weakly at him.

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'Haha~ of course not~~ why would I do that? I… I was just about to leave when it started raining. Elsi had already left so I thought I'll see if you need one. … I-if you don't I'll just go by myself!'

With that remark, Chihiro stomped off while Keima just looked at her retreating form. If he was about to 'capture' her, to achieve this particular flag, he would have to stop her and accept her offer now.

That was the truth and the norm. But he wasn't supposed to 'capture' her, only to stabilize the situation and ensure that the gap in her heart remains filled by his presence.

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Would rejecting her cause her to feel that she is inadequate again?

The reason that was a gap in Chihiro's gap was due to the fact that she did not believe that she could be a unique girl.

By being able to form a girl band by her own whim, she is showing the world that she can be indeed a special and unique person.

'Tsk…'

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Pressing a vein on his forehead, Keima swore softly to himself before sprinting to catch up with Chihiro before she left. He had made a mistake from the start, a terrible and foolhardy mistake and it's perhaps too late to rectify that error.

But he is the **Capturing God! **Even among such difficulty, there is no reason to believe he still cannot succeed in this particular game as well!

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'Wait! Kosaka!'

Caching up with her just as she was about to leave, a forlorn and disappointed look in her eyes as she stepped out of the main hallway.

Katsuragi Keima skidded to a halt behind her and held out one hand to her, which she stared at for a moment.

'Please, I wouldn't want to get wet. I have my games after all, would you allow me to walk back with you? My house is near where you normally walk back… so…'

It was something he knew Chihiro wanted and what he wanted to avoid at the same time.

But he realized that there was a high chance that Chihiro might be affected severely by that denial and would slowly begin to distance herself from that image of him that has filled up the gap in her heart.

If the Keima that she knows is different from the Keima in reality, even she would lose faith in herself as well.

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If Ayumi can do it… why can't she do the same?

That would be how she will begin questioning herself over and over due to the attention that he had recklessly spent on her.

'Tsk…'

How he wished there is a reload button or a save file that he can gain access to right now. He would never have made that mistake in the first place! But there is no use complaining about that right now!

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'Hmph…'

Looking at him in a disinterested but happy way, Chihiro slowly mumbled back a reply.

'I-if you want to… of course… but I only have one umbrella… so we have to share… i-it's better than having none right!'

Turning pink as she stated that, Keima inwardly groaned. Did Chihiro, truly planned this? Did she really planned this out in so much detail?

This is reality! There is no way real life is so convenient!

Oblivious to his inner thoughts, Chihiro glared at him when he silently nodded to her conditions.

'And don't think of any funny ideas, Katsuragi… I'll make sure I break every bone in your body if you try anything!'

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Keima simply nodded while expressing his thanks, looking back to his game in a show that he was still himself despite everything, hopefully fooling Chihiro to complacency.

He has to match the image that Chihiro have of him, an otamegane perhaps, but a person who has strong beliefs in who he is. Keima has no idea what Chihiro viewed him as truly. But at the least, he must not totally reject her.

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'T-then, what are you waiting for?'

Turning away, Chihiro looked as if she was setting off and Keima hurried to catch up, sharing the small umbrella with each other, shoulder to shoulder as they headed off, totally missing the other figure that was clutching two umbrellas with her as she spied on them from the other side of the hallway.

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A certain girl who has always been the one supporting him in that way.

A certain girl who was now beating the wall with her hands as she hugged the two umbrellas close to her chest in seeing that sight.

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Of seeing her precious Kami-Onii-sama ignoring, forgetting and abandoning her instead.

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**Author's Notes: Please sign up to be a Beta-Reader! But being my Beta-reader is like having a full time job _**


	14. Shifting Loyalties

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 14: Shifting of Loyalties**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: A confession: I've finished this chapter a day ago. But I'm withholding it to see if I get more reviews. Yep~ I like having reviews about your comments… I'm selfish this way. /me shot**

**Now you will never know whether that is the truth or not!**

**Oh right, still wanting a Beta-Reader**

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It was a very hard moment to stomach as the two of them slowly walked through the pouring rain, separated only by their slowly dampening school uniform despite Keima's best efforts to shield them from the rain.

Walking shoulder to shoulder under the small umbrella, they were indistinguishable from many couples running for shelter in the rain as well.

Initially Chihiro was hesitant to get too close to him as she was still conscious about herself while Keima was the opposite, simply ignoring everything and continued gaming on his PFP with one hand.

The silence between them was unbearable and the only sound that could be heard was from their footsteps and the sounds of the raindrops hitting the umbrella as they made their way out of school.

It was perhaps not what Chihiro imagined it would be like and yet it met her expectations as well.

It was silly of her to expect that Keima would strike up a conversation with her and it would be a chance for them to get closer to each other.

He was the otamegane after all, even if… he might possibly be the person who had helped her a great deal and inspired her to work harder.

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It seemed so unlikely, but she knew that it could be the truth. Seeing him walking with her, one hand holding the umbrella while using the other to still play his game, he is literally dismissing the reality around him.

She knew that would be what he would say: 'That reality and him does not match.'

He is a person who ignores everyone's opinion about him and just does what he wants, regardless of what others think of him

It is a sad and brave thing to do, something Chihiro herself can understand as she has been trying to be unique and popular all her life with limited success.

Just copying what others did or by trying to get a handsome boyfriend while trying to look fashionable… is simply not enough. What shines does not always sparkle… she learnt that the hard way by herself.

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So, she was envious of what Keima dares to do, to be himself all the time.

'…'

She remembered something that was similar like this had happened before, but the memory was hazy… of her and Keima arguing in the rain with each other.

'Do you have something to ask me?'

He suddenly spoke and Chihiro flustered about for a moment, almost bumping into him when Keima stopped and turned to her, almost tearing his gaze from his PFP as he placed it into his pocket.

'I… I… well…'

She stammered as she had not expected him to confront her in the middle of nowhere while they were alone. Escape is impossible as it was raining heavily than before and oddly enough, she felt uncomfortable leaving him in the rain.

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'Katsuragi, I didn't get the chance to thank you.'

She looked down at her shoes to hide how her face was burning up, Chihiro waited for a reply from Katsuragi for what seemed like an eternity before he did reply her and then added to that by petting her slowly on the head like what he would do for a small child.

'I'm just doing what I have to do… you are the same. There's no need to thank me for that.'

His words just made her feel even more embarrassed as her heart raced while he slowly walked on again, not even waiting for her to follow him.

H-how dare he dismiss her words so easily when it took so much courage to acknowledge him!

Acknowledging him is like acknowledging that she approves of his odd behavior and lack of tact!

But it was odd, how a simple sentence from him could cause her to feel so happy, at ease and at peace with the world as the words just reassured her so.

Following eagerly while squeezing under the small umbrella with him, Chihiro had a great smile on her face as she reflected upon her thoughts.

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He is the one, that is for certain. No matter how impossible it may seem to be, he is the one who is responsible in letting her feel confident about herself again.

'But I still have to thank you, Katsuragi…. for being honest with me and with yourself.'

She managed to smile back at Keima; only to see him back to playing his game and she sighed while teasingly elbowing him in the side, causing him to almost lose his balance.

'What are you doing!'

'Punishment for ignoring me till now!'

Smiling happily, Chihiro took the umbrella from Keima and started to walk faster, forcing him to abandon

Playing his game and to just focus on catching up with her instead.

'W-what are you planning, Kosaka! I'll get wet!'

Fumbling to catch up, Keima grumbled and wondered at the sudden change in Kosaka's behavior. Even though he is indeed the **Capturing God, **sometimes even the complex feelings of women are not known to him.

But isn't that the most puzzling mystery of them all?

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Confused at her actions, Keima continued to ponder on how to start his investigations. It would be easier if he could direct their conversation to what happened during the Summer. But chances are, he would want to avoid that happening as he must still maintain a distance between them.

He wished to avoid 'capturing' them, even by mistake as it would spell a disaster for the rest and he casually mentioned to Chihiro that it didn't rain during summer at all.

'Eh? Well… weather is unpredictable… so you have to being an umbrella with you at all times, Katsuragi! You won't get the privilege of me offering to help all the time!'

Slapping him in the shoulder, Chihiro was actually more shocked that he was the one who started the small talk as they hurried towards their homes.

'Even so… I wish Summer break would last longer.'

'Yeaah~~ It would be awesome if Summer Break would last forever! But if it did, we'll have to start finding jobs~ That takes away all the fun!'

Smiling teasingly as they reached the crossroad where Keima has to leave, he nodded to her when she suddenly stopped and grabbed his shoulder.

'W-wait! How about I walk you home! There's something I need to get in that area that I just remembered… so…'

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Keima narrowed his eyes, this was an excuse, he knew it was an excuse and Chihiro herself knew it was a lamely made excuse as she flushed red when he stared at her closely.

'Ah-ah! If you don't want to, I can go by myself if you like!'

'No, I'll take your offer.'

Keima nodded in a hurry and slowly walked on when she was about to grab the umbrella and was quickly followed by the blushing Chihiro while Keima groaned inwardly instead. It's tough dealing with tsundere girls, no matter where or who they were.

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Takahara Ayumi is not a tsundere, she is a straightforward girl who goes straight for the kill, something he is now closely associated and experienced with.

For Chihiro, she can be technically called a Tsundere as she has been cold and unforgiving in her comments to him from the start and only now is thawing that cold attitude to him. (**Author's Notes: Ironically, it's reverse in the manga afaik)**

Generally, the advancement from 'tsun-tsun' to 'derey-derey' isn't supposed to be so rapid. But in this case… perhaps it can be expected to go faster due to the interest of her close friend, Ayumi.

Either way, the clock has begun ticking down on him much faster than before.

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But they were in for a rude welcoming at the Katsuragi Household as they were greeted with Elsi, wet and soaked in the arms of Katsuragi Mari at the doorstep of Café Grampa and Chihiro rushed over to her immediately.

Keima however, was just studying the situation closely as he made his way to her side.

Mari was comforting the sobbing Elsi while Chihiro was at a loss to what to do as she knelt beside her after Elsi pushed her away initially.

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'…'

Did something happen? Keima racked his mind to remember any odd circumstances or event that they had encountered while his hands instinctively reached for his PFP to contact Haqua when he stopped.

Wait… Elsi was rejecting Chihiro? That is definitely odd as they were close friends, right?

Narrowing his eyes and pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose, Keima recalled that Elsi did indeed showed a little dissatisfaction during the last practice session.

Did something happen between them that he was not aware of?

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'Elsi.. Elsi… what's wrong dear?'

Petting her head as she tried to dry her hair, Mari looked at Chihiro helplessly for aid as she explained that she had found her all soaked and wet at the doorway.

She had said she wanted to go back and fetch Keima and have taken 2 umbrellas with her. So she had no idea why Elsi ended up in this state.

'Ah… I'm Elsi's classmate, I'm Kosaka Chihiro…'

Bowing to her as she realized that she did not introduced herself yet, Chihiro was a little upset at Elsi rejecting her but when she tried again, helping to place the towel over her shoulders, Elsi accepted her touch and allowed her to help Mari dry her off.

'Elsi…'

Suddenly appearing beside his 'sister', Keima narrowed his eyes when Elsi shrugged off his arm and instead buried her face deeper into Mari's embrace and held on tightly to the hand offered by Chihiro.

Does that mean he was at fault? Did he offend her in some way?

Tsk… this is not the time to be distracted by her!

'Kami-Onii-sama is a baka! Baka! BAKAA!'

Shouting at him, Elsi suddenly broke free of Mari's protective embrace when he walked closer to her and dashed into the house, leaving his mother staring at him in confusion before she reached forward to pull Keima hard at his ears.

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'KEIMA!'

'N-no wait! It's not my fault!'

Forced to face reality as his mother pulled him forcefully and painfully into the house, Keima struggled to break free of her when Chihiro stepped in by herself as well.

'Please excuse me~~'

Seeming delighted that Keima was being punished, his classmate smiled in satisfaction when Mari welcomed her in with a warm smile and only reserved a threatening growl for her only son!

_Tsk! That's why I hate reality!_

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After a throughout grilling from his mother, she too had found out that he had done nothing wrong. In fact, Chihiro was detrimental in proving his innocence, much to his discontent as she seemed to hit it well with Mari, a little too well perhaps…

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'Ahaha~ You're such a well mannered child~ Just like our Elsi… Thank you for taking care of her, she has always enjoyed herself in school. With girls like Chihiro-chan around, I'll be more at ease.'

Smiling as she treated Chihiro to cakes from the café, Mari then turned to Keima and snapped at him.

'Well, serve the guest some more tea, Keima!'

Scowling, Keima reluctantly did so, pouring the tea for Chihiro, who seemed doubly pleased at him serving her, added happily.

'Thank you for your compliments, Katsuragi-san. Elsi-chan is one of my good friends! We're trying to participate in the Mai-High fest this year. If you have the chance, would you come and hear us perform?'

Ignoring the fact that Keima muttered that they might not be selected by how they are playing now, Chihiro took the chance to kick Keima's knee, causing him to wince in pain.

'Of course ,Chihiro-chan~ I'm glad that you girls are pursuing your dreams. If you need any help, please feel free to ask. I'm good with sewing~ I remember when I was your age I just finished sewing my own matching jacket for that first bike I had… man, those were the good times!'

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Seeing the look of confusion on Chihiro's face, Keima explained that Mari once belonged to a biker gang, causing the girl to gasp in apparent awe.

'That's amazing, Katsuragi-san! I wish I met you earlier!'

Clapping her hands in excitement, Mari grabbed Chihiro's hands and shook them up and down, apparently forgetting about the incident with Elsi in the midst of her joy in meeting someone she can share her joy with.

'You really think so? I'll bring you out for a ride one day, Chihiro-chan! You can count on me! And call me Mari, Katsuragi-san seems so formal~~'

Watching the two of them hitting of very well, Keima sighed as he made his escape, heading straight towards Elsi's room.

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The sudden change in Elsi's attitude was puzzling, but she was his partner after all. There is no reason for him to bother Haqua with their problem. And… she was probably still conscious of his rejection earlier in the day.

'That troublesome devil…'

Was it the hidden brotherly instinct that was telling him to check up on Elsi? He didn't know, but he knew that he needed her help if he wanted to continue with his approach to Ayumi and Chihiro.

* * *

..

..

'Elsi…'

Reaching the door to her room, Keima knocked on it and was rewarded with silence as he sighed before pushing his glasses up and trying again.

'Elsi… it's me, Keima…'

His mind searching through the many games he had played for such a scene, Keima could really find too many and without a probable cause, it was difficult to imagine what had caused it.

Unless… she was possessed by a spirit.

But that is impossible, Elsi is a devil who is as carefree and happy as it gets. Plus, her spirit detector would have set off by now if that was the truth.

'Elsi?'

Pushing the door, he discovered it to be left unlock unlike earlier and he paused. Was she expecting him to come in? This is indeed unfamiliar territory as he realized he had not entered Elsi's room prior to this before.

..

..

Waiting for his eyes to be accustomed to the darkness before advancing, Keima kept a careful lookout for any strange and 'exotic' items while calling her name.

'Elsi…'

There was only darkness and Keima reached for the switch to turn the lights on before seeing a bundle of blankets shivering on the bed and he slowly made his way over to it.

He was unsure of what to do as well, he had no idea what made her so upset. But he knew from instinct that comfort can come in small ways and Keima sat down beside the bundle and waited.

'Elsi… are you feeling better?'

Hoping for a response and any clue to the situation, Keima spoke through dry lips, surprised himself at how nervous he is right now.

It was just Elsi, the ditzy devil that had taken away his normal life and pulled him into this ridiculous situation! Why should he be so worried about her?

..

..

Perhaps because she had became his sister, perhaps that's why he was so worried. Unconsciously he had really accepted her as his sister… and most importantly, she was the only person that can save him from this situation as well.

'… Kami-Onii-sama…'

He heard her voice calling to him and he turned towards the bundle, who was reaching a hand out to him and he slowly grasped it, holding the cold and shivering hands in his while she spoke softly to him.

'Are we… partners… Onii-sama? Elsi tried her best to be a good sister… and a good partner to Kami-Onii-sama… so… so I…'

Keima was unable to respond for a second as Elsi had not once made such a big ruckus if she was feeling down or discouraged.

Yes, she would express signs that she was upset but she'll surely recover her vigor and usual cheerful self before long. What had changed to make her so depressed and for her to be in such a state?

Was this something to do with the culprit as well? Did the culprit attack Elsi by accident without her noticing?

..

..

As he pondered that thought, Keima's eyes narrowed and sharpened dramatically and protectively over Elsi. Elsi was his partner, no matter her faults, that is the truth. Without her, Keima was practically defenseless as he recalled the time she protected and saved him from plummeting to his death and the time where she saved her from being consumed by a demon.

..

..

'Of course we are… No matter what anyone says or tries to deny that… you are my partner. And I'm glad that you are mine.'

Clutching her hands tightly, he heard her sigh in relief, but the shivering never stopped for a moment till she poked her head out, a smile on her face as she nodded to him.

'T-thank you… Kami-Onii-sama…'

She bravely, lied to him while trying to console her bleeding heart.

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**Author's Notes: I WANT Reviews :**


	15. Changing Perspectives

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 16: A Different Perspective**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Now look, I understand that Ayumi in the manga is MORE tsundere, or appears to be. But I'm here to argue that Ayumi is the first person who shows signs of having interest in Keima after her capture. In the occasion that she regains her memories and figures out that she does indeed have feelings for him. She'll likely be the first to go after him.**

**Also, R&R please!**

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It took a while for her to calm down sufficiently for Keima to lead her out of her room to greet Mari and Chihiro, who by now had realized that they were forgetting something important.

'Keima!'

Despite the angry look on her face, Mari seemed pleased and a little embarrassed at having been too caught up with Chihiro as she hugged her 'daughter' when he led her to them.

Sneaking a look at Chihiro, who no doubt noticed when she blushed red and hurried over to Elsi, Keima sighed before taking out his PFP and returning to his game.

Honestly, sometimes he wonders about his family and Mari's list of priorities. But when viewed in another light, he could not fully pin all the blame on the two of them.

Seeing or having Elsi so demoralized or upset is unprecedented and Keima decided to pay more attention to his partner from then on.

It would not do for her to collapse again in a crucial part of the investigation and as he sat down on the sofa, he looked at Elsi closely.

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong… she did not seem to have been attacked or approached by any strangers on her way back home.

So why… why did she seem so upset? And why was she drenched? Did she not use her umbrella?

Closing his eyes, he thought closely and systematically along the line of thought. Upset, Umbrella… Rain.

..

..

'… did she meet or see something that she shouldn't?'

It was a common thing in games, when something totally unexpected happen the shock delivered would cause a character to act in a way that they are not supposed to. Like someone finding out a dangerous secret about someone, realizing an accident occurring or more commonly, overhearing and having misinterpreted a conversation between two parties.

Either way, it can be safely judged that for now Keima should not question Elsi on what happened. It must be something big to cause the normally cheerful devil to collapse in that way. Did her identity get exposed? Or did someone concoct a rumor about him?

The **Capturing God **was not sure, but he would definitely find out the answer!

* * *

..

..

For Elsi however, everything was just beginning and she held back the tears she felt when Keima told her that she was his partner.

Elsi didn't know why it made her so upset that Keima had abandoned her and went off with Chihiro instead. She could understand that she was at fault for not waiting for him but he could have waited for her… right? Why would he want to go off with Chihiro-chan and not her?

Does that mean she is not needed?

'…'

As she was hugged by her 'mother', who scolded her softly about worrying her so much, Elsi reached behind her back and returned the hug. It was so reassuring and when Mari kissed her on the forehead she giggled a little at the close contact.

Katsuragi Mari was like her real mother now… there was nothing in the world that she wouldn't protect her against. That was shown when during the capture of Akuragawa Shino when she could not bear the thought of Mari being 'killed' by the monster.

But it all ended up as a ruse by the monster to attack Keima and Elsi had done her best to protect her precious Kami-Onii-sama.

..

..

Yes, Katsuragi Keima was precious to Elsi. That is a fact… that is probably why she was so upset that her Kami-Onii-sama had 'betrayed' her. He should have known that Elsi would be waiting for him! He should have known better than to hurt her in that way!

And… and..

'… Elsi-chan?'

Hearing Chihiro's voice as she looked at her from a distance, Elsi felt something grow in her heart and she anxiously fought hard to suppress it.

It was the same feelings that had led the first devils astray, the seed of hatred and anger. Elsi wouldn't, no she couldn't feel that way about Chihiro… she was her friend! If she started to hate Chihiro for something that was not her fault, she would never forgive herself.

'Elsi-chan? You look odd… are you sick?'

Putting a hand on her forehead, Elsi resisted the urge to slap her hand back and just smiled sheepishly while shaking her head.

'I'm not… I'm sorry for worrying you too, Chihiro-chan… t-thank you… for bringing Kami-Onii-sama back today…'

Saying so with a straight face, Elsi felt something lift off her shoulders when Chihrio blinked and then replied sheepishly.

'Ahaha… I did, didn't I? I'm sorry Elsi, I didn't know you were going back to get an umbrella for him… What happened?'

Chihiro seemed sincere and Elsi nodded her head to acknowledge that with a shy smile.

'I… I well… I met with a scary person…'

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..

She had to lie, she will never admit that she had literally collapsed when she saw Chihiro leaving with her Kami-Onii-sama. It was just like she was taking something precious away from her and it hurt, it hurts really badly like a piece of her was taken away.

She had flown back home as fast as she could, leaving the umbrellas there and not even bothering if she was caught out in the rain. In all of honesty, time had passed without her knowing and the next time she remembered was in Mari's arms in front of Café Grandpa.

Something odd was happening to her… Elsi was sure of it. But the innocent devil was not sure what.

Was it her own instincts, passed on by the previous models of devils in Former Hell that was turning her into something that she didn't want to be?

Or was it something even more basic, something that everyone can feel that is changing her from the inside.

Or is it… simply, someone else changing her subtly without anyone noticing?

* * *

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But elsewhere, in a small changing room, was another girl that had not made her move.

The girl in question sighed as she looked at herself in the mirror, adjusting her hair to be perfect while checking out her outfit. She was currently dressed in a maroon jacket that did well in hiding her childish figure while still making her look girly as it was a little big for her.

The girl, Nakagawa Kanon was ready for another big interview with a popular magazine and she rested her hands on her chest to calm herself down.

But how can she really calm herself down? The fact that she was still working meant that she still can't return to school. By not returning to school, she is unable to meet with him, Katsuragi Keima again and she bit her lip unhappily while looking at her phone, which was on top of the dressing cabinet with regret.

She knew that she has gotten the email address right… but he had not responded to her email on that fateful night. It had came to her suddenly while she was heading for the interview venue when she had met with someone that had called her a 'heroine'.

She had laughingly wished that was indeed the case and apparently, that was the truth as she recalled something so impossible that her career would most likely be stained if it was leaked.

She was the leading Idol in japan right now. For photos or information of her 'lover' to be leaked, it would probably be a huge scandal despite the fact that she has the right to go out with anyone she chooses.

..

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But Nakagawa Kanon is supposed to be a 'traditional idol', a person who symbolizes the bygone era of girls with great talent that is not concerned about looks or to put it bluntly, sex-appeal to raise her career.

She was a 'Pure' Star amongst the dwindling group of idols that have constantly been in the news for wrong actions or incidents. In her heart, Kanon was a little upset that she could not go public with the fact that she might have someone that she liked.

In a previous interview that she had attended, she was tempted to say yes when the Interviewer asked her:

_'So Kanon-chan~ Do you have someone that you liked?'_

It was a gossip magazine that had somehow ended up on her schedule and it was a close one as she had almost admitted that she did to the scandalous reporter who would no doubt blow it up exaggeratedly.

'…'

So now she was left holding back her wish to return to him by telling herself to not send any mails to him till she is done with work.

It is a testament to the growing feelings in her about him. Her heart would flutter about and she would sport a blush so red that it was hard to hide it even by applying powder on it.

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She was the one who had abandoned him, even if he was the one told her that it is alright for her to go. He could not possibly have Kanon for herself. But she wanted to be with him, not as Kanon the idol, but as Nakagawa Kanon, the high school girl. So even if he wanted to reject her, she wants him for herself and only herself.

He was the boy who made her believe in herself more, made her love herself more and most importantly… was the first person that she dedicated her voice to.

She sings because she wants the world to hear her voice, for everyone to know the song in her heart.

Thus she never considered singing for anyone in particular.

..

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But the boy, Katsuragi Keima was willing to listen to her song even if she was not Kanon the idol. He was able to listen to the song deep in her heart that she was afraid will never get transmitted.

For someone like him, Kanon was willing to dedicate her song to him and him only. But he was not selfish and wanted her to sing that song for everyone, for her to achieve her dream in the expense of his.

That is why, Nakagawa Kanon cannot forget him now that she remembered him.

..

It must be a painful memory for her to forget about his existence for so long, but from the tears that she had no doubt shed would be a new Kanon. A Kanon that is able to accept him as well as the fans around that loved her. A Kanon that can be both an idol, as well as a lover for him.

That was why she was able to state confidently to the world that her new single was for him. For the boy, Katsuragi Keima she had wrote her feelings out for him to see in plain view:

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_"To the one, that I have always sang for deep in my heart… My New Single: [Koi no Shirushi]! "_

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'Kanon-chan? Are you ready for your interview?'

'Haai~~'

Replying her manager, Kanon looked at the mirror and applied some more lipstick before she skipped out.

'I'll do my best… so please wait for me, Katsuragi-kun. I'll come back soon!'

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It was not just Chihiro who was forced to eat dinner over at the Katsuragi Household, it was Haqua too who had popped in a few minutes later with a big smile.

'Good evening~'

She was holding a bag that read: Gokult; Haqua handed over a whole rack of 24 bottles to Mari while saying it is her way of saying thanks to her for treating her to dinner that other day.

'Ah, Haqua-chan~ Welcome welcome! Will you stay for dinner today too? This is Elsi-chan's classmate, Chihiro-chan. Chihiro-chan, this is Elsi's close friend, Haqua-chan~'

'Ah'

The two girls looked at each other for a moment while Keima looked on with raised eyebrows over his PFP. Haqua would no doubt be acquainted with Chihiro as she would have ran across her during their scan of the captured girls. But why did Haqua tense up when meeting her for the first time? There seemed to be more going on than the naked eye can see between them.

'Ah, My name is Kosaka Chihiro. Nice to meet you.'

Smiling as she offered a hand, Chihiro winced when Haqua gripped hers tightly while smiling brightly and deviously at the same time.

'My name is Haqua du Lot Herminium, I'm a childhood friend of Elsi's. Thank you for caring for her.'

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Indeed, there seemed to be something going on between the two of them as they had quickly turned to the downtrodden Elsi that was sitting directly opposite of him.

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Haqua had known about Elsi's plight before Keima or Mari as she is the first person that Elsi contacted upon seeing Keima leaving with Chihiro.

To be honest, she was probably not the best person to reach out to as she had been just rejected by Keima.

No, not rejected… there was no reason for her to be rejected in the first place as she had no feelings for that idiotic human! If the feeling was mutual, it would hurt… right?

But it had hurt, it had hurt badly and Haqua had planned on drowning sorrows in Gokult when Elsi had burst into her house and cried in her arms.

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_'Elsi? Elsi! Oi… what's going on, Elsi!'_

_Holding the panicked and sobbing girl in her arms, Haqua was unable to placate her fully by herself and she found herself crying along with her for some odd reason._

_Was it the fact that she sensed what was going on in Elsi's mind as well? The two of them have always been close and to be honest, it was the first time that Haqua had seen Elsi so upset… and the only thing that would make her so upset was surely about that worthless human of hers._

_There is no other explanation for it, he is an insensitive, blunt and was blessed with no tact at all. Only he could possibly hurt someone as innocent and klutzy as Elsi without thinking about the consequences._

_Slowly she had coaxed out everything from Elsi and knew that it was his insensitiveness that caused her collapse and at the same time, realized that Elsi was changing just like she was._

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_'…'_

_The poor girl had probably not realized that fact but something was indeed growing in that small chest hers. Something that will overwhelm and take her by surprise, just like how it had did for Haqua herself._

_If it is Elsi, perhaps she can accept her lost. Because, Elsi is the person who had been supporting him for so long, the person that deserved better treatment was Elsi, not her._

_So, Haqua had decided before she had sent her back to Mari, that she would help Elsi in every way possible regarding that idiotic, smart-Alex human of hers!_

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This was the reason for her reappearing today, to check up Elsi and she was indeed surprised to see Chihiro here. This girl is responsible for making Elsi cry, even if it might be accidental… she is the last straw for Elsi, the person who had 'taken' away Keima from Elsi.

Thus it was expected for Haqua to be upset and a little mad at her.

'… I would love to stay for dinner, Mari-san.'

Bowing to her, Haqua pulled Elsi to her feet and slowly coaxed her to the kitchen with her, leaving Chihiro and Keima alone. This seemed to unsettle Elsi as she looked back while biting her lip.

'Let's go help Mari-san, Elsi~ I'm sure we can prepare something nice for our guests! I'll teach you a new recipe that I learnt! They all say that you win over your man by their stomach… right?'

Grinning to herself as Chihiro jumped a little at her comment, Haqua took it as a sign of victory when Chihiro stammered that she should help out as well.

'Let's go, Elsi!'

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**Author's Notes: I think I made some errors when I was writing this _ sorrie in advance!**


	16. Soothing One's Heart

_The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side_

**Chapter 16: Soothing One's Heart**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: R&R Please! That's my only wish for the pace I am updating this =) Even if it is a one liner, I'll still be happy to share with you my views~**

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Haqua knew for sure that the cause of Elsi's emotional upheaval was due to the girl that was currently helping them with the preparation. What is on the menu today is simple spaghetti with bolognaise sauce with meatballs, something aths she learnt from Yukie a few days ago

Donning an apron and helping Elsi as she looked at the ingredients with curiosity, Haqua realized that although Elsi is indeed competent in many aspects of cooking and cleaning, she is particularly worthless in cooking human food.

This she determined easily when Elsi looked at the spices that went into the sauce with confusion..

'This… isn't… Onion, right?'

Hell's Onion was more similar to leeks and this made Haqua realized how precarious and deadly her dishes for Keima were; even if they were indeed very delicious for a devil like her.

'Well now, in the Human's world these are onions. Come on Elsi, let's start!'

Helping her, Haqua shot a look at the side of her to see that Chihiro on the other hand was having difficulty, unlike Elsi who quickly got to the grove with Haqua instructing and teaching her.

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Perhaps this will help her regain some of her confidence… even if it is in the expense of another person's happiness. But she, Haqua is a devil after all, she has no qualms in sacrificing others for the sake of her own devils. In that retrospect, aren't all women that way? Perhaps the saying that women are devils are true after all?

'That's good Elsi! He'll praise you this time for sure!'

She smiled happily and Elsi managed a nod as well, her cheerful demeanor returning even as she watched Chihiro struggle with chopping up the vegetables.

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_I'm sorry Human, I know that you feel the same way towards him. But love is like War, you will do anything to earn victory_

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'It is very good, Elsi.'

Praising Elsi as Haqua had predicted, Keima remarked that this was probably the best dish that Elsi had prepared since the curry she had made during Tsukiyo's capture.

'That's a curse, Kami-Onii-sama.'

She pouted but she seemed delighted and back to her usual bubbly and cheerful stuff as she giggled with Haqua while digging into the food.

'As expected from Elsi~ You're good as you said you were!'

Praising her as well, Chihiro joined in the conversation while Keima nodded back to her as well while eating slowly. Mari on the hand was just beaming at delight at the lively family conversation taking place as she always believed that a family dinner was supposed to be like this, with conversations going ona cross the table.

'Eat more everyone~'

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She urged everyone and they replied in earnest as it was indeed a feast that Elsi and Haqua had cooked u with the assistance of Chihiro and Mari.

The only person who did nothing was the one would be relegated to washing the dishes after everyone is done.

'Isn't that right, Keima?'

Haqua and Mari stated so in unison, causing the **Capturing God** to blanch and reluctantly nod his head in reply.

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'Why are you here today, Haqua?'

Keima asked the devil who has hanging around him while he did the dishes slowly and methodically, wiping and arranging the utensils, cookery before rinsing them in water.

Currently donning a pink apron that is similar to Elsi's, it had taken a while for Haqua to stop laughing at him before she had been able to face him with a straight face.

Crossing her legs while sitting on the counter-top, Haqua replied with no hesitation at all.

'Ask yourself that question, Katsuragi. I'm only here because you screwed something up.'

Seeing him so dense made her wonder why he is called the **Capturing God** in the first place, a title that she refused to acknowledge him under if he continued to be so clueless to what is happening to Elsi.

'I… do not remember seeing you in a state of undress today.'

Raising a fist, Haqua scored a direct hit on his head before turning away and avoiding his gaze.

Geez, for him to be so nonchalant after he rejected her made her a little upset, but at the same time more respectful of him as he separates work from his personal life.

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'You are asking for a beating, Keima.'

'Do not say that after you just beat me, Haqua!'

Grumbling as he washed the dishes, Keima turned to her and saw her staring at her shoes, as if deep in concentration and he allowed her the time to gather her thoughts.

'Katsuragi… you really… do not know why I came back here?'

She asked again in a stern, authoritative voice but Keima simply shook his head slowly. Although Elsi's sudden change in behavior was odd, he could not see why it would make even Haqua herself to step in for her.

He is missing something, a piece in the puzzle and until he gets it, he would be fumbling about in the dark by himself.

Thus, he shook his head at Haqua, who nodded hers slowly as if disappointed in him.

'Well… it's fine.'

She seemed to have a decision in her heart and she leapt from the counter, stepping over to him quickly and subsequently grabbing his collar and pulling it towards her violently.

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'Watch over Elsi carefully, Katsuragi. If you make her cry again, I won't forgive you.'

As if showing proof of her words, the scythe that she always carries with her materialized before her after releasing him.

'You might be a **God **in some circles, but remember this. **God himself** can be dragged down from his seat by a devil. Don't be too focused on the things around you… that you miss out the most important things for you, Katsuragi.'

She whispered softly to him sadly before leaving the kitchen and Keima in his own confused thoughts.

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Chiiro had of course, left earlier and after seeing her off, Elsi had retreated back to her own room to practice her playing. Even though Mari called her about a show that was interviewing Kanon, she did not pause in her practice and instead played even harder.

'…'

Mari, who peeped into the room to see how she was doing, smiled at her trying diligently to remember the scores and slowly snuck out to prepare some refreshments for her.

In contrast, Keima was sitting in the dining room, deep in his thoughts and Mari, being the good mother that she is, sat down in front of him and pushed him a glass of milk.

It has been a long time since she saw Keima so troubled and she hoped that her son would actually open up to him about his worries once in a while.

'Keima, dear?'

She smiled as she sat down in front of him as Keima slowly looked up to look at her. His eyes betrayed his fatigue and Mari was tempted to hug him to comfort him like she did for Elsi.

'Yes?'

But he was as rude as always but she kept her cool and continued.

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'Is there something bothering you? I might be able to help you solve it, hmm?'

She has pride in her teaching methods, but even so she was worried for Keima's future despite his stellar results. His obsession with gaming would no doubt hurt him later on in his life but right now, she felt that it would be better for him to pursue what he wants and for her to guide him slowly.

'…'

He closed his eyes and sighed, causing Mari to feel snubbed and her shoulders dropped too. What use is she as a mother if she can't even offer advice to her own son's troubles?

'Tell me…'

'? Yes dear?'

He suddenly spoke and Mari perked up almost immediately and urged him to continue his question, hoping that she had concealed her eagerness to help.

'Who was the one who started the relationship between you and dad?'

'Hah?'

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A surprising question and one that she was unable to answer due to the memory of her husband proposing suddenly popping into her head. It was a surprise as he had proposed to her in front of the biker gang that she belonged to at that time. Him, a normal guy belonging to an average company proposing to her, a member of a roughneck biker gang.

But she had said yes, so the fault does lie between the two of them.

Realizing that Keima was still waiting for an answer, Mari admitted that it was he who wanted to start the relationship initially. She had not been impressed by the white-collar worker who had suddenly approached her while she was having a drink at the bar and had even wanted to chase him away by calling her fellow gang members over.

But of course, Keima was the result of that fateful encounter and she could not be happier.

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'I see… so you did not feel attracted to dad at first?'

Rubbing his chin, Keima smiled as Mari admitted that no, she did not at first.

'We were from different worlds, your dad never committed a crime in his life and I flouted with it all of mine. I rode without a license while he obeyed and even worshipped the law, we had nothing in common.'

'But the two of you still got married… why?'

Keima was unsure why he was asking her mother such intimate questions, but perhaps he wanted some insight on how real relationships work in real life. Will a one-sided relationship ever work out?

He has no interest in any of the girls that was now trying to 'capture' him but he wanted to know the odds that he faced.

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Mari remained silent for a moment as she tried to form the answer for him while Keima simply just looked at her, hoping to draw from her insight.

'I don't know really… perhaps it is because I was touched he tried so hard to impress me? They say that opposites attract, perhaps that is why we became together?'

Confused as to why Keima would suddenly want to know all of this, Mari for a moment thought it might be relationship problems… and dismissed it promptly.

Keima is more interested in his games than in anything else…

True, Keima can believe that his mother and father were very different and that sentiment is shared among his family, made obvious as Keima's grandfather did not approve or like Mari.

'Opposites attract… that is a cliché theory…'

He sighed while Mari simply chuckled and wistfully added.

'Perhaps. But it is just that both parties are so radically different that we have many things to talk about… it is like looking at the world through two different pair of eyes. Many different views from your other half means that we see the world differently with each other.'

She closed her eyes as she recalled the courtship and she felt some of the anger that she felt for Keima's dad dissipate.

Just a little of course.

..

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'Being in a relationship with another person is a larger scale of that. You have to embrace the other person into your life. You can't just look after just your own interest… but the other parties interest as well. It is really a difficult thing if you are not prepared for it.

Elsi would make a good wife as she is always looking after people and not after herself… sometimes, it is alright to be a little selfish, like you, Keima.'

Mari gathered her courage and reached out to pet him in the head while Keima listened to her views with interest.

He has not been in any relationship before and this was something new for him to consider and digest.

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'Putting someone's interest in front of you… but still being a little in love with yourself, that is how you balance a relationship… at least, that's what I think, Keima. It is not a bad thing to embrace beliefs that are different from yours, right, Keima? It will definitely open your eyes.'

Mari smiled as she wondered what to say next as her son, Katsuragi Keima simply listened without saying a word.

'Relationships… in the real world, are indeed complicated.'

He declared with a sigh and Mari nodded reluctantly too.

'Yes, but in life… everything is a struggle. In love, it is a struggle worth fighting for though~'

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In her own room, the little devil tended to her fingers, which were hurting from the practice that she did while thinking about her Kami-Onii-sama. She wanted him to praise her, to look at her and to say what a good job she had did.

She did not know why. No, perhaps she was just subconsciously repressing the answer inside her.

They were only partners, nothing more… they can never go pass that invisible line in front of them.

What is worst is that he is her 'big brother' as well…

Elucia de Lute Ima hugged herself as she slowly drifted off to bed, unaware of the troubles that she has caused for her big brother. The same big brother and **Capturing God **that was currently now contemplating on the meaning of true relationships.

Not the same relationships that happen in the game that he plays. The 'True', 'Fake' and 'Bad' Ends will never appear in reality no matter how many 'flags' are raised.

Stepping into Elsi's room, Keima looked at the resting devil, still holding on to her guitar and he ran a hand through her hair.

Was it a sign of his brotherly love showing that caused him to visit her all of a sudden? No, it could not be…

'…'

..

..

But he did acknowledge and take heart the hint that Haqua had dropped for him.

Elsi is the key to everything and she is the one that he must pay attention to.

Something must have happened around this girl but neither he nor the girl knew of it yet. Did the answer he seek rest in this girl's hands?

He did not know. But he will find out, that is for sure.

* * *

..

..

'Good morning, Elsi-chan!'

The next day, the world continued on as always and the **Capturing God** was once again bombarded by the many girls who are trying to approach him.

Takahara Ayumi appeared by Elsi's side and started chatting, most probably about the singer, Nakagawa Kanon. Keima himself was a little conscious about her and he looked at his PFP warily.

She was the only girl that had not made her move… when was she making hers?

He did not reply her email as he was afraid of the resulting flood of emails that will result from it. Keima hoped that rumors of him knowing Kanon would not spread throughout the school as… there was the high chance that besides Ayumi, she would remember every single detail of the capture progress.

Takahara Ayumi and Nakagawa Kanon are the two capture targets that he was the most concern about as they did display signs of retaining memories of the capture.

Kosaka Chihiro was another girl that shows signs and symptoms of that as well but Keima was not overall too worried about Chihiro as her capture was perhaps the most… 'normal', as compared to Ayumi or Kanon.

For Ayumi, he had probably announced to the whole world that he liked her with her banners and balloons. To be honest, he was a little wary that Ayumi would be suspicious as to why everyone else did not tease her about her so called 'relationship' with her.

..

..

Or perhaps she was simply too simple-minded to think that far?

Making a mental note to ask Haqua or Elsi to modify her memory, just a little… Keima reflected on Kanon as well.

She was an idol, it was likely that she did not wish to blow things up by meeting him in public, especially since she is so well known in Japan and is the leading Idol in entertainment.

It suits him just fine, he can imagine the hordes of fans wanting his blood if Kanon confessed to him…

..

..

'What are you thinking about, Keima-kun?'

Smiling as she appeared into his field of vision, Takahara Ayumi ignored the odd glances the class gave her as she sat on Keima's table while he simply responded in turn by lowering his PFP and bidding her a good morning as well.

'Nothing special, Takahara. Did you have something to tell me?'

'Oh, Yes I did. I took an application form to sign up for the Audition for Mai-High fest. I hope it will help!'

Beaming as Keima took it from her and she hummed the same song that she played for him earlier while Keima read it.

'… Auditions are next week.'

He closed his eyes while considering. He did not want to go to the extent and help them be perfect… but he did want said he'll help them if they needed to.

It is a case of priorities versus needs and Keima could not decide which one was which between helping them reaching Mai-Fest and discovering the cause of their memory returning.

In their defense, Keima could reason that if he did not help them, they could possibly lose faith in him and thus… be 'possessed' again. Tsk, looks like he dug his own grave this time.

'… We have a tough week ahead of us, Takahara.'

He stated with a sigh while Ayumi simply looked even happier.

'Mm~ Let's work hard together, Keima-kun!'

* * *

**Author's Notes: And the game continues~**


	17. Meeting the Competition

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 17: Meeting the Competition**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I'm actually considering of porting this story to an actual VN. But I need help with Art/Music.**

**Those who wish to volunteer or who knows someone who can do commissioned Char-sets.. please offer me advice =P**

**It's a stab in the dark, even for me.**

**

* * *

**

..

..

The **Capturing God** looked over to Elsi and then subsequently smiled at the sight of her working hard by reading the book he had given her.  
'What are you looking at, Keima-kun?'

Following his gaze, Ayumi saw Elsi reading and practising by strumming an air-guitar and she nodded while pumping a fist into the air.

'Elsi-chan is working hard! Then i shouldn't lose to her, right Manager-san?'

Not caring what others view her actions to be, Ayumi's energy made even Keima smile while the rest of the class just discussed about what they had just heard.

Having the Otamegane join the girl band as their manager was unheard of and discussions were immediate and rift among the class till out of the blue, Chihiro appeared as she cried out Keima's name immediately upon appearing at the door.

..

..

'Katsuragi! Come here!'

Blinking in surprise, Keima was as clueless as the rest of the class as to what she wanted as he turned towards her, putting down his PFP in the process, surely a first that made many jaws drop in shock.  
'?'

Tilting his head, Keima saw Chihiro turning red as a tomato as she was at the center of everyone's attention. Even Elsi was looking at her in confusion after tearing her eyes from the book she was currently reading.

The poor girl at the center of attention then just waved desperately and even wailed at her to come over with a panicky voice.  
'Hurry up, Katsuragi!'

Sighing, the boy consented and slowly walked over to her while the rest of the class simply looked at him like a wild and exotic animal at display.

But he, as the Otamegane never really cared about what others think of him in the first place.

'...'

Looking at the flustered girl girl who simply grabbed his hand and pulled him away from the doorway of the class, the pair did not notice the uproar that they had raised, with everyone now currently discussing about Chihiro and Keima.

* * *

..

..  
Coming over to a corner with Elsi, who is looking a little downcast again, Ayumi sat down beside her and whispered softly to her to not be bother by the class or by the rumors that were currently being spread.

'They just don't understand your Nii-san... right, Elsi?'

'I guess so... Ayumi-chan...'

Petting her on the head, Ayumi looked at the direction where the both of them had went and whispered softly amongst themselves.  
'I wonder where they are off to... Chihiro seems odd today...'

'But Ayumi-chan... you seem odd this few days... too...'

Elsi replied softly and the energetic girl turn to her in surprise, Elsi's soft voice making it difficult for her to comprehend her words.

'Elsi-chan... did you say something?'

She herself seemed unaware of it but she is the one who is the closest to Keima with the exception of Elsi in school and thus have been the subject of the same rumours as well.

..

..

'N-no... I didn't... I'm sorry...'

A little confused at her actions, Elsi did not seem to be her regular self today and she lowered her head. Ayumi, who is generally more sensitive to other's feelings than most, noticed it and she hung around her uncomfortably till she finally found a topic to talk about.

'Did you hear? We are having a Transfer Student today.. she's supposed to be from some school from out of town! Isn't it exciting?'

Trying to cheer her up o distract her from her worries, Ayumi gossiped about random things happening around town... but it wasn't helping as Elsi keep looking out of the window, her heads in the clouds.

'Elsi-chan...'

Looking at her in worry, she seek help from Terada who had just came in through the door and she blinked in confusion before shaking her head in what seems to be exasperation.

'Ah, if you're worried about Katsuragi-kun, he and Chihiro just went ahead to submit our application for the Mai-High Fest Rehearsal... don't worry. it's not like he's in trouble... again~'

She sighed comically while rolling her eyes, making Elsi and Ayumi laugh and the tension was dispelled just like that among the three friends.

Looking fondly at Terada who had broken Elsi's slump easily, Ayumi goaded her for more information about the transfer student and she answered with zeal about it as well.

Girls will be girls after all.

..

..

'Ah, I saw her outside the Principal's office... she is wearing the same kind of skull accessory on your head, Elsi. Do you know her?'

Blinking in surprise, Elsi tilted her head and then clapped her hands happily.

'Ah! it must be Haqua! Eehee~~ She's a good friend of mine! I'll introduce her to all of you~'

Beaming as she cheerfully looked forward to their meeting, Elsi realized what Haqua had meant when she had said 'See you later' before leaving her home in the morning.

Seeing her in a good mood, Ayumi and Terada both gave a collective sigh of relief. That is more like the Elsi they knew and like.

Especially Ayumi as for a second, she had sensed something close to hostility when Elsi stared at Chihiro and Keima. Did she have a brother-complex?

No... that can't be... Elsi... can't really like her big brother... right?

Biting her lip, Ayumi was left wondering about it when Homeroom started, causing her to hurry back to her seat.

* * *

..

..

'Listen to me, Katsuragi!'

'I AM listening to you, Kosaka... do not continue screaming at me as I am sure my hearing is not impaired. Geez... where;s the volume control when you need one.'

Sighing as he followed the irate and blushing Chihiro, Keima winced when she reached out and slapped him at the back of his head in irritation.

She was obviously embarrassed and flustered that she had to single him out in public. No, she had to single the both of them out in public and the sight of them walking down the hallway together, seemingly with a purpose had set tongues wagging all around.

But she had did that only for a good reason. Yes, a very good reason as she stuffed a new flyer into Keima's hands along with a copy of the application form for the audition with it.

'I have one copy of this...'

Mumbling as he felt odd without his PFP, Chihiro scowled and pointed to a particular line in the new flyer and hotly replied to him.

'No, it's not! It's a new copy! Look here!'

..

..

_'Due to the overhauling response __from all the parties interesting in taking part in the Mai-High Fest. We regret to inform all parties that there would only be limited slots for clubs to perform on the day itself._

..

..'

Is it not a standard practise?'

hardly seeing it as a grave matter, Keima was shaking his head when Chihiro slapped him again while angrily pushing the piece of paper to his face, frustrated that he did not get the magnitude of the problem.

'Look closely! There is only one slot available for the 'Open Category'! That means we are competing with the rest of the non-music clubs!'

Their band is a recognized club activity, but unfortunately they are not grouped with the rest of the musical groups like the band, orchestra or the choir.

Mai-High is not a very privileged school but it pays special attention to the Arts and therefore it would reserve more performance slots for it's Band or Choir.

Smaller groups like the '2-B Pencils' will have to complete with the rest to gain some Air-Time in the Mai-High fest.

..

..

'The bigger the challenge, the better the reward will be, Kosaka. Do not lose your confidence just because your competitors have increased.'

Closing his eyes, Keima crossed his arms and listed the potential competitors against them, for example the Drama Club, various Cultural Clubs and perhaps performances put up by Classes.

'There would be no problem...'

Dismissing them with just a thought, Katsuragi Keima smiled warmly and pulled the shocked girl into the Staff Office, ready to submit their application.

'If you simply give up before trying, the battle is lost before it has even begun. Always remember, if you lose your confidence. I'm here to offer you a helping hand.'

..

..

He is the **Capturing God, **'flags' trigger around him! And the word 'impossible is not in his dictionary...as he is a **God.**

The girl behind the **God, **simply nodded weakly before she turned even redder, slapping him in the shoulders but warmly whispering behind his back so he didn't hear her mumble.

'You better make sure you do... Katsuragi, or I won't forgive you...'

* * *

..  
..

Making her appearance in class was indeed Haqua and she bowed to the rest of the class as she mad her self-introduction.

'My name is Haqua de Lut Herminium and you can call me Haqua. My hobby is achieving number one and I'm a good friend of K-Katsuragi Elsi, I hope to be friends with all of you.'

Bowing, Haqua resisted the urge to stick out her tongue at the thought of being 'friends' with all the humans here but she held it back.

She has always been number one, so now even in the human world she must be number one as well!

With that thought in mind, she flashed a winning smile at the class, who all welcomed her with a round or applause.

..

'You can sit there, beside Takahara.'

'Yes Sensei.'

Moving over, she smiled at the excited Elsi and nodded to Takahara Ayumi, one of the girls that Katsuragi captured and said the necessary introductions to her.

'It's a pleasure to meet you, Takahara-san.'

'Ah! No, no! Call me Ayumi... and let's help each other~'

Laughing as she rubbed her head in embarrassment at being greeted so formally, Ayumi smiled and helped her with her bag before turning to speak with her.

'Neh, neh, so you DO know Elsi!'

'Yes, I'm a good friend of hers. We knew each other since we were young.'

Smiling like a model transfer student, Haqua knew how to handle the interested girls. But she was secretly going through the things in her head that did not add up. She was here for one single purpose, that is to keep an eye on Elsi and Katsuragi.

A growing doubt in her mind was making her concerned about her good friend... that and Katsuragi's lack of attention towards her was making feel even more ill-at-ease.

They were supposed to be collaborators and have to work together!

Even she, Haqua has to work with Yukie, no matter how frustrationg it can be.

..

..

'He wouldn't... have been able to 'capture' those girls without Elsi...'

But she would not have captured the spirits without him too...

She muttered softly to herself and caused Ayumi to blink in confusion at her words. Is it just her or is she really out of the loop today?

'No, I'm sorry... I'm just mumbling to myself... I apologize.'

Shaking her head in apology, Haqua slowly replied to Ayumi's probing question till one important question made her hesitate for a while. It was a like a beam of light in the darkness...  
..

..

_'Then... is Elsi-chan really Keima-kun's blood-related sister? They are rumors going about that she was adopted... or come from another family...'_

..

..

Haqua's intelligent eyes narrowed. She too is a genius, even if she is in a different category as Keima, who was born and slowly educated a genius by his own ingenuity.

She achieved hers with great aptitude and diligence. One can be a genius at birth but fail to deliver as they could not use their talent in the right areas.

One can also be a genius by discovering one has great skill in a certain area by accident... and finally one can be a genius by having the diligence to polish one's skill and aptitude till they match that of a genius.

The final category is where Haqua falls into and she decided not to answer that for now, that was probably the key to Elsi's worries and Keima's indifference.  
..

..

'You have to ask Elsi that yourself... Takahara-san. I can't divulge that without her permission.'

Closing her eyes and looking away, Ayumi took the hint and fell silent too.

She wanted to know, as that nagging question from earlier, kept eating away at her.

It was like an invisible barrier stopping and unconsciously prevent her from getting to the boy she liked now that she have that doubt in her heart.

Biting her lip, Ayumi clasped her hands together and just hoped for the best, something that haqua noticed and resulted in her looking at her in a new light.  
..

..

All humans are not heartless after all, some do indeed value the friendship that linked them together.

* * *

.. 

Time passes quickly, CTRL can be pressed and in the blink of an eye it is time for lunch. For Keima, classes is the time where eh enjoys the most.

Not because he enjoy studying or gaining new knowledge, it is that he is able to play his games without interruption.

From his previous experience during Summer, with it's hectic schedule and the many girls that he had to 'capture', Keima cherishes this time like no other.

The teachers have all but given up on him paying attention and avoided him like the plague as he had been at the top of the class even with his eccentric behavior since the start of school.

In the modern society where the first step in proving one's worth come with a single piece of paper, Keima has all the credentials to top the class and perhaps the school.

Thus, they found no reason fro them to concern themselves with Keima any longer, frustrating and disrespectful as he is. It seemed much more logical to save their time and energy and spend it on another person, more deserving ones who needed their assistance.

..

He had been surprised when Haqua appeared beside Ayumi when he returned but he dimissed it almost immediately as well. It is not unpredictable that she would wish to operate near the source of the 'event', and he acknowledge her with a nod.

But other than the unforeseen 'event', the day was uneventful. No emails from Kanon, no passing of notes from either Ayumi or Chihiro nor any 'flags' that he can see. It was so peaceful that Keima dreaded lunch, it was like the calm before the storm.

And as the **Capturing God. **What he fears the most is...

..

..

'Let's go eat lucnh together, Chihiro-chan, Terada-chan, Elsi-chan, Haqua-chan and Keima-kun!'

Energetically waving her hands at all of them, Ayumi caught hold of Chihiro who was about to leave and pulled the protesting girl towards the rest of them, Keima being dragged along by a smiling Haqua.

Yes, this is what he fears the most... if it really becomes a norm for them to gather around him.

..

..  
Looking around, the boys in class were looking at him in shock while the girls were sighing as they lost the chance to interrogate Haqua. Would it affect the memories of the girls as well if this went around? He should ask Haqua to conduct a check on them soon.

Lost in his thoughts, Keima looked up to see Elsi fidgeting oddly before passing him his bento and for once, just for once.

It was not some weird dish that came from hell (literally).

* * *

..

Retreating to the roof to have their lunch together, Ayumi had claimed that it was for them to 'bond' together and for them to know more about Haqua. 

'Like Keima-kun said, one of the **S. **stands for 'Sisterhood' right? We should take our friendship to the next level!' 

He had no idea what Ayumi was up to, but he has an inkling it has to do with him and the **Capturing God** unwillingly allowed himself to be entered into a major 'event' like this once again.

In situations like this, it is likely that he'll be forced to be 'fed' by one of the girls or to choose among the food that they had prepared for him.

Either way, he refused to participate if he can help it!  
..

..

'Kami-Onii-sama, shall we eat it together?'

Watching Elsi smiling shyly while inviting him, Keima looked at it suspiciously while the rest of the girls looked at him in confusion.

No one knew what he went through everyday due to the fact that Elsi used her raiment to hide the true identity of the dish.

'Come on Katsuragi, Elsi woke up early in the morning helping to make this.'

Closing one eye and slapping the back of his head like how Chihiro did earlier, Haqua grinned in triumph to Elsi, who nodded back happily.

Truth was, Haqua had helped Elsi with the preparation of 'real' food and this was the culmination of her hard work and talent.

It made even Haqua feel inferior at how Elsi can pick up anything when it comes to cooking or cleaning as after some simple instructions and clearing up of ingredients, she had prepared a beautiful home-made Bento in the morning.  
..

..

'Eheh~ Elsi-chan is as hard working as always~'

Looking at the box in admiration, Terada looked at the contents and marveled at what Elsi had cooked so early in the morning before turning back to Chihiro and Ayumi.

'Isn't she? It must be hard for her to get up so early in the morning to prepare so much for himself and Katsuragi-kun.'

'That's right! So you will. Finish. Every. Single. Piece. Understood, Katsuragi?'

Threatening him with a deadly smile, Haqua did not let up even when Elsi pulled at her to stop.

..  
..

'Woah, Ayumi-chan prepared so much today... Chihiro-chan too~ Did the two of you know that Haqua-chan was transferring into our class today?

As she had spent the whole morning supervising Elsi, Haqua had neglected to prepare hers and was about to share Elsi's when the two girls offered theirs to her as well, with a red face evident when they looked at Keima.  
..

..

So that's the plan. well, it didn't work today at least!

Haqua mentally grinned in triumph in defeating the other two girls for Elsi.

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R!**


	18. Casual Days Ahead

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 18: Casual Days Ahead**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I just realized that it was probably a good idea not to include Guidou Yui as the band would be more packed…**

**Please Help ibuberu's effort in Raising Funds for the Japan Relief Efforts! Her Profile is here: .net/u/1056452/**

**Even if it seems odd... but it's the thought that counts!**

**

* * *

**

..

..

Ayumi flinched a little at Haqua's words, she appreciated the fact that with Haqua around, Elsi seems more energetic and happier than she was before her arrival..

But Haqua seemed to be able to see through her actions and her plan immediately… or was she really being clueless as Elsi produced yet another bento for Keima for his lunch…

It was well known that Keima would escape or at least reject any attempts by Elsi when she passed him his packed lunch. At first the boys were a little jealous, no, very jealous that the Otamegane had a girl, even if it was his sister prepare lunch for him.

But seeing his reaction, they had assumed that Elsi was a 'killer cook', emphasis on killer and they had more or less gotten over their jealousy.

If word ever went leaking out that more girls were preparing lunch for someone, it would surely create rumors that she was interested in Keima…

Well, she probably was interested in him. He has shown another side of him that she had only dreamt about… his attentiveness to the small details, his ability to inspire her and her friends to be better and most importantly, the gentle and calm way he had handled things around her made her feel that if he was not such a geek, he would be very popular in class, no perhaps in school.

'What are you smiling about… Ayumi-chan?'

Realizing that she was smiling to herself while imagining Keima displaying that side of him class, she blushed and shook her head, instead focusing on the lunch ahead of her.

She had prepared lots as she had expected Keima nor Elsi preparing their own lunches, but now that it is not the case, there was a bit too much.

Not to mention that Chihiro had prepared more than usual as well and they were more than enough, even if Keima will not try her own cooking, it was still an achievement for them to share lunch together.

..

..

Lunch was actually a very quiet affair, Keima being pestered by Haqua and Elsi and Ayumi noted that she must be quite familiar with the two of them as they seemed not perturbed by her actions, as if they were used to her being a little haughty.

It was a different image to what she had portrayed during class earlier in the day and Ayumi turned to Chihiro who was looking at the two grumpily.

'Do you know Haqua-san… from before, Chihiro-chan?'

Blinking in surprise as she hurriedly shook her head and looked away, Ayumi wondered what else was Chihiro hiding from her. She had seemed strangely happy this morning as she returned with Keima, waving the copy of the application form to the three of them, telling them they would have to work harder after seeing several other bands that had signed up along with them.

'…hmm…'

..

* * *

..

..

It was as he had feared, but it seems that Elsi had salvaged the situation by passing him her bento. Even if Haqua had not dropped that hint, he would still have stuffed the food down his throat to deny the girls from engaging the flag of either 'feeding or preparing' food for him.

Thankfully however, Elsi seems to have prepared 'real food' this time and he dug in relatively slowly, unsure what the taste would be like. The threat from Haqua went unnoticed as he took the first tentative bite.

'… You did well, Elsi.'

Smiling in relief that it was not full of various 'flavors' as he had feared, Keima enjoyed it, much to the joy of Elsi and he even allowed her the reward of being by his side while they ate their bentos together.

Of course, that's what Elsi and Haqua believed but he was actually in 'damage-control mode'. He is the **Capturing God,** every actions that he made were for a reason after all. It would be silly to expect him to be won over with such a simple and common 'scene'.

By accepting Elsi's bento he can avoid further flags for this 'scene' unless someone interferes and he gave Elsi a pet on the shoulder for a job well done, she must have anticipated this and has done well in helping him get out of this tricky situation.

..

..

But there was a shadow lingering over this seemingly peaceful 'event'. That shadow is Haqua and she seemed adamant in proving something to him… she had been sticking close to the two of them ever since she transferred in and although he realized that she was hinting something to him, he for the life of him cannot figure out what was it that she was hinting.

Was she upset over the way he had jilted her the day before? Or was it because of something even simpler… it could be something regarding Elsi, did she want him to pay more attention to her?

'… yes, Kami-Onii-sama?'

Tilting her head in surprise at him staring at her for some time, Elsi smiled cheerfully as she continued eating. There seemed to be nothing wrong...was she implying that it was something regarding Elsi?

'…Haqua.'

Turning to the other devil as she share Ayumi's bento, he leaned closer to ask a simple question.

'Is Elsi… concerned about something?'

* * *

_.._

_..  
_

_Finally he caught on!_

_Breathing in relief as Keima whispered that question to her, Haqua du Lot Herminium was surprised that the dull pain that she felt yesterday when she thought about Keima had mostly subsided, even if she admit that her heart did skip a beat when he looked at her in the eyes._

_Was her liking for him so fleeting? Or was it simply that she had accepted the fact that Elsi would probably be the one for him that caused her to move on…_

_Haqua did not know, but the thought that she would be able to look at him face to face without discomfort was sufficient for now and she nodded to him grimly._

_Elsi herself was probably, no surely not aware of it and she hoped that Keima would acknowledge that growing feeling inside of her and thus reduce her suffering._

_He had prided himself to be the **Capturing God** but he himself is so genre un-savvy! Having such a cute girl beside him at all times must have gone into his head…_

_She was loathe to say this, but sometimes she believed that unless Elsi made the truth appear in one of his games, he would be unable to believe or accept it._

_.._

_..  
_

_And that fact was reinforced when Keima asked the following question._

_'Did someone attack her last night? You must know why she fell apart last night…'_

_Rubbing his chin, Keima was unaware that after his question Haqua was silently balling a fist and in the next second, slammed it on the back of his head before storming off, much to the shock of Chihiro who was looking at the two of them in confusion._

_Ayumi, as mentioned earlier had her head in the clouds and she barely registered what happened till she sat down beside Ayumi to continue her lunch, fuming as she did so._

_Seriously! That human!_

_Wishing that she could strangle him, Haqua grudgingly decided that she would have to stick around longer than planned after all. The request by Keima to check up on Nakagawa Kanon was weighing heavily on her shoulders and she was glad that at least Keima had the tact to let her take on that task._

_After all, Nakagawa Kanon was Elsi's favorite Idol, if she was to successfully spy and check up on her, it would be ideal if she can keep her presence hidden._

_But now that Haqua knew about Elsi's feelings, she was sure that seeing Nakagawa Kanon so blindly in love with Keima would cause more pain on her already fragile heart._

_.._

_..  
_

_She knew Elsi was a very sweet tempered and kind devil, a rarity in hell and Haqua could see the pain that she was experiencing from just her two good friends showing that they liked him. She herself must be torn by whether to admit to the growing feelings in her heart or to just let the situation remain as it is currently._

_Elsi is supposed to be just Katsuragi Keima's partner and his sister, nothing more and nothing less. She should not be developing feelings for him… but now that she did, she would probably not know what to do.. or whether to admit to herself whether she really does like him._

_Or is it just a passing infatuation…_

_.._

_..  
_

_'…'_

_It seems there is plenty to work out after all…_

_

* * *

_

_.._

_..  
_

'Shall we go, Elsi?'

Standing up from his seat at the end of the day, Keima nodded in affirmative when Elsi grabbed her guitar and hurried behind her even as the rest of the band members followed suit.

The raiment that Elsi carries with her at all time was necessary for his plans after all, even if the **Capturing God **has not realized it, Haqua knew that if the relationship between the two of them deteriorate, he would finally realize how much he actually relied on her.

But by then, it would be too little, too late and it would be difficult to patch up the relationship if it went that far.

'See you later, Haqua~~'

Waving good bye to Haqua as she took her leave, Haqua knew she had a mission to do and therefore regretfully left, leaving Elsi to deal with the other two 'heroines' that were probably more determined and willing to get close to the **Capturing God.**

..

..

'Hai Hai~ Thank you for your hard work, Katsuragi!'

The girls had went off to change into more comfortable attire while he was setting up and he looked up to see that Chihiro had returned early and passed him a cold drink. It was similar to what she had done before when she was being captured by him as Chihiro had offered him drinks and food prior to her confessing to that boy… what was his name again?

'Thank you.'

Accepting his drink, he did not fail to see that she was visibly nervous and he continued to work on tuning the sound system in silence, hoping to make her feel a little better and comfortable at being in his presence.

'Do… you have something to tell me?'

Asking the million dollar question that is on everyone's mind, Keima waited around 5 minutes where Chihiro simply just sat there playing with guitar. It could be mistaken that she simply wanted to practice, but Keima could tell, as with anyone that were present then, that she simply wanted to spend time with Keima.

Just by being with his presence, she seemed to calm down easily and is more comfortable playing, a stark difference from Elsi or Ayumi who got more flustered the closer he inspected their playing.

..

..

'Nope, I don't…'

Smiling brightly, she continued to strum her guitar slowly, enjoying the soft music while Keima nodded and went back to his adjustments.

Straightening his back when he was done, surprised that she had stayed quiet for so long, Keima blinked when she saw that Chihiro was not paying attention to him at all, instead dedicating all her efforts in strumming his guitar and he nodded in satisfaction.

She is taking the challenge seriously after all, that is good… He as the **Capturing God** had staked his name on ensuring that they would participate in the Mai-High fest. But it is not possible if the girls were not motivated to do the same.

With their leader ready for the challenge, it seems that part of the mission is successful and he turned to another amplifier when Chihiro suddenly spoke up upon hearing the sounds of footsteps approaching them.

..

..

'Neh, Katsuragi.'

'What is it?'

'You'll be by our side all the way right?'

'What do you mean…'

A little confused as to why he was asking this, Keima realized what she meant when Chihiro stood up, her hands on her guitar as she lowered it down to rest beside her legs.

'You're our manager right? You can't ditch us half way and disappear… got it?'

Smiling to him, Chihiro hoped for the best and to her expectations, the **Capturing God** nodded in reply. He had promised to help her if she needed it and there was no reason for him to break that promise.

'Of course, by taking on the role as your manager, I have no intention on quitting.'

Not knowing that he has sign an invisible bond between him and the Lead singer of the 2B Pencils, Katsuragi Keima welcomed the rest of the band with his signature pose, a hand on his glasses as he signaled the start of another grueling training session.

..

..

* * *

..

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'… Hmm, there's still something missing.'

The girls are improving, that is a fact and he is glad that they are getting better as he instructed them slowly on how to relax and to play naturally. It is not talent that they need, it is them playing the song that they wanted that is most important.

They can refine their skill and talent later after all but they have to enjoy and to like what they are playing. If they are being forced to play music that they dislike, they would not be in harmony, nor will they be playing together as one.

They are a Girl Band and Girl bands play together, not separately.

'Can we try it again without you singing, Kosaka?'

Tapping his fingers on the simple sheet music that they had selected for their practice, Keima closed his eyes and listened while they played for him again.

It was tiring work, but they appreciated and enjoyed the fact that Keima was taking time out to distribute his 'coaching' to all of the girls.

..

..

As always, Terada was the one who is the most vocal and the one who had the most conversation with Keima as she was not one of the heroines.

Ayumi was just trying to impress Keima with her hard work, which he acknowledge simply because of much improvement in her playing skills, being a little more 'natural' so to speak as compared to yesterday. But it was probably due to the fact that she had gotten more accustomed to him being around than yesterday.

Chihiro on the other hand did have a serious discussion with him about the songs that she should or should not sing. A conversation that was being pretty heated till Keima backed down and asked her to try a few of the songs for him to listen.

It seems that Chihiro, despite her lack of talent in singing, has plenty of passion and Keima has to restrict her in singing some particular genres, especially the blues or songs that require… more control in pitch.

..

..

For Elsi, she too was trying to impress and she did just that by showing that she can more or less read the notes of the score more fluently now, causing Keima to praise her and rub her head again, much to her delight. The delight she felt was further increased when Keima expressed his thanks for lunch, and she of course, misunderstood it for being a good well done at preparing it.

'Ehee~ then please reward me more, Kami-Onii-sama~~'

Sighing, Keima did just that while the rest of the girls simply watched, some in amusement, some in jealousy and some split in between the two reactions.

* * *

..

..

After listening to the band playing again, he came to the conclusion rather quickly and she provided a quick update to the girls that were hanging on to his every words.

'Your playing has more or less synched better than the day before… what is important for all of you now… is that I believe all of you should have a dual role in singing as well. Unfortunately we only have a time limit of two weeks, it would actually… be more realistic if we have all of you help chip in to help Kosaka.'

Avoiding the words that highlight that Chihiro's voice was still not up to par, he looked at her and was glad to see that she did not seem to mind.

As a leader, one must think of the group as a whole instead of just herself and she just displayed that.

'Naturally, she is still the leader and the lead… never forget that and try to shine out by yourself. Do all of you remember the _S.S.S_ that I mentioned before?'

..

..

Slamming the score sheet in his hands shut, Keima reemphasized on the number of days left to the first rehearsal.

'Our first milestone is in 13 days! It is do or die, 2B Pencils! Do you understand me, girls?'

* * *

**Author's Note: It'll be time skip time soon.**


	19. The Triple S Factor

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 19: The Triple S Factor**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Note: Life is just Pokemon Recently.**

**Secondly, let me make it clear again: Harem based endings is just really awkward to write about. Especially in Keima's case. How can he explain the harem he accumulated? How would the girls get along with each other? Why should he even consider about it? What about the interactions of all the girls who he captured? How would he divide the time?**

**How can I avoid a fallout between the girls?**

**If anyone can give me all of those answers, I'll consider a harem end.**

**Till someone do, don't ask me WHY I dislike a harem end as all my questions are listed above.**

**So there.**

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* * *

**

..

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She knew he wasn't targeting her in general, thus she just accepted his suggestion. It made sense after all, they were a band and a band is about the whole band, not about her as an individual.

As she was the one who made a selfish challenge to Kanon-chan, she has to be able to accept concessions from her fellow band members as well.

At stake is not just her reputation, it's the other girl's reputation as well.

Hence, she'll have to share the spotlight with the others as well. It is not a bad trade off if they can really perform in the Mai-High fest.

Like Keima said, it will probably be their one and only stage before they graduate.

..

..

But Chihiro was grateful too for him emphasizing on her behalf and making it clear that she was still the lead. To be honest she was still a wee bit insecure about her position as the leading role.

She is not as cute or endearing as Elsi, energetic and full of life like Ayumi or refined and diligent as Terada. She is just… normal, a normal girl with big dreams. That's what she, Kosaka Chihro is.

But at least with him, with the 2-B pencils can she really try to strive for her dream. Without her friends support and companionship she probably won't be able to go far as she did right now.

'Sure.. if Manager-san says so, I'm game.'

Clenching her fist, she took a symbolic and significant step back, signaling her willingness to be in 'front' so to speak and to let the other girls 'step forward' and to be in the same level as her, the lead of the band.

Even if it seems to be a step backwards for her goal to 'shine' amongst the ordinary people in school…

But if it is with the 2-B Pencils, her gathering of sisters and friends, it is alright to shine with them as a whole, right?

'I'll do anything if it enables us to be in the same stage as Kanon-chan. We promised to meet her during the Mai-High fest… we'll have to be chosen for the Main event!'

She took a deep breath and continued, egged on by the slight smile she spotted on Keima's face as her eyes brushed passed him.

'We will have to trample over so many other people's dreams who wishes to perform as well, they have their own dreams. But that doesn't give us the right nor the excuse for us to train half-heartedly… they won't be losing to us. So that's why we mustn't let them win. If it is not us, it will be them… they will and should be our stepping stone to our stage!'

..

..

Saying something out of character for her and for many 'game girls' that Keima knew, Chihiro looked at the other girls with a fierce determination and the willingness to do anything in her power to achieve that dream of performing. In another note, one can compare it to how ruthless she can be to get what she wanted. Can that same force translate to her being able to put it into action when the target is the boy in front of him?

* * *

...

..

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God **lowered his head to hide the small smile on his face. He has to give her his approval and credit for saying such an impromptu speech to the other girls in front of him. It was probably not inspiring, nor was it one that conveys joy or happiness. It is a cruel speech that has highlighted the reality of the world around them.

A speech that he was prepared to, but was a little hesitant to actually say out to the girls.

After all, he was trying to gain their trust, not trying o discourage or to let them face the grim reality of the competitiveness of the real world out there.

In games it is a certainty that the band would be able to perform, if not in the first attempt then in another much bigger occasion given to them by chance after their hard work.

However, 'real life' is different. This is the only chance that the 2-B Pencils get… and in front of them, their challenge is to outshine, outperform all those different groups of people that wish to get a slot in the Mai-High Fest too.

There is no fairy tale ending for everyone…

That is the grim reality of life, if they are complacent, if they do not give it their all… regret and unhappiness will surely permeate the group… in the worst circumstances it might even dissolve it from the inside.

..

..

For her to give that speech meant that she was ready, she knew about the ugly fact of life and is able to meet it by herself. Facing it and not cowing away from it… nor just to simply ignore it. She is a strong willed girl after all.

That made the **Capturing God** approve of her and perhaps, just perhaps… gave her that tiny edge above the other girls who were closer to him.

But that wouldn't come as a surprise would it? After all, Kosaka Chihiro is the first girl and only who has actually defeated the **Capturing God **in a war of words and still remains one of the few girls who had surprised him with her 'value' when compared to 2D girls.

The one girl who has stronger than ever, proved that real girls can be comparable to game girls after all.

* * *

..

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The girls were silent for a while and Keima, for a moment was afraid of the girls being unable to rise up to the challenge. This is not in a _Game _after all. For them to attain their goals, they have to trample over other's dream… if they are naïve enough or soft hearted enough to not be able to do just that….

It might be impossible for them to actually perform on stage in the first place….

..

..

Everyone would have stage fright, but guilt might set in… crippling their performance. Of course, this is what the **Capturing God **believes in. Real girls are neither that weak nor that 'kind'. It is a dog eat dog world out there, the rat race to success has already started the moment they are born.

Do one know that people born in certain months have certain edges over their counterparts in sports?

Unlike them, Keima was born a genius and he was untouched by such matters as he was simply a stage above the rest, so to speak.

So it came as a surprise to him really to see the girls just nodding in acknowledge of Chihiro's 'speech'. He did not expect them to accept the 'harsh' reality so soon. To him, reality is something that has no link to him as he knows the faults, the 'error's and all that is undesirable in the real world. This made him disconnected and unwise about the real mechanics of the world and how the people live through it.

However, the girls have been 'living' and 'coping' with the real world since they were born, Elsi was no exception. Even if it seems undesirable, they have probably gone through that before in their lives.

It can be said that they are from different worlds altogether, Keima in his own 'world' of games and of course, his genius and the girls in their own 'world' of examinations, grades and competition.

It can be described as a culture shock between the two worlds and unwittingly, the girls impressed the **Capturing God** with their resolve when in reality, it is nothing special nor unique to them.

..

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'That just means, we can't lose to them… isn't that right?'

Smiling as she sighed at the same time, Ayumi placed her guitar down before stretching out and then winking back at Chihiro.

'We will just have to show that our determination is much stronger than theirs.'

Clenching her fist, she pumped it into the air while Terada clapped her hands together before starting to play again. Her fingers danced all over the keyboard as if possessed, playing a tune much more difficult and more skillfully than what she had played earlier.

'If they can't stand the pressure, it won't be our fault if they aren't selected, desho?'

Then all of them noticed Elsi placing her hand forward, palm facing downwards as she clasped the other one on her chest, as if praying while she closed her eyes and mumbled.

'That just means… we'll have to play on their behalf… we'll have to inherit their dreams, and play for all of them.'

It is definitely an 'event' and a 'scene' that is happening in front of the **Capturing God** and this time, it was not caused by him

It is a mandatory part of this 'story' and that symbolizes that Katsuragi Keima has reached another milestone in this 'game'.

..

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'…'

Watching all of the girls renew their determination, bonds and wishes to perform together to take part in the Mai-High fest, the **Capturing God** was unable to deny nor was he able to dismiss this event even with his dislike of the 'real world'.

He was impressed and touched by their display, he has to admit that to himself.

Yet another subtle change in his behavior that he did not realize himself.

..

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_The world will change, People will change._

_And finally, Ultimately, even the Gods will Change._

_.._

_..  
_

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_.._

_..  
_

Passing the girls the refreshments for their hard work, Keima took note that all of them seemed to be bonded closer to each other due to that little speech given by Chihiro earlier.

They were unconsciously closer, sitting closer with each other, sharing tips on how to play better and even speaking to each other in a more relaxed tone. It was very subtle, but he has had time to observe all of the girls ever since he became their manager and could tell minute differences easily.

They were friends before and they grew closer to each other by being in the band together. But there probably was a limit to the growth of their friendship this way.

One will always have a social circle and amongst the circle there will be different levels of familiarity amongst them as well.

People who one knows just by sight and not by name.

There will be people who one knows by name and by sight.

People who you speak with in an infrequent basis and people who you speak to in a frequent basis.

People who you can hold a conversation with you and people who you speak a few words in greeting with.

And most importantly, people who one can trust with a secret and people who one can share casual gossip with but nothing personal with.

..

..

This is the 2nd **S **that is described by the **Capturing God, **Sisterhood, and it seems that the girls have broken through the invisible wall/stage that will now allow the girls to be close with each other in a more personal manner.

Surely everyone will relate to or understand that, a band of sisters banding together after discovering all of them have the same goals and in turn helping each other to achieve it, all the while getting closer to each other in the process without they realizing it.

This relationship will create something special, something unique that no one else will be able to replicate no matter how one tries to copy it.

Their songs will be unique, as embedded subconsciously within their voices and music will be fragments of their friendship, the emotions, the memories and the obstacles during their journey that they travelled thus far to the audience.

That might be the defining factor that separate the 2-B Pencils from the other groups, or might simply put them in the same level as them, equaling their experiences and hardwork.

Keima did not know how much effort the other groups put into their performance nor was he overly concerned regarding that. What they felt and how much they did to reach that stage and rehearsal has nothing to do with him or the girls of the 2-B Pencils…. All they had to do is to make sure that they approach this rehearsal with everything that they got.

But at least, Keima did not want the girls, anyone of them to regret or be crushed by the overwhelming pressure that will be on their shoulders when they participate in the rehearsal and perhaps the Mai-High Fest.

It is more of a mental battle than a physical one after all.

..

..

But at least now, he can be sure that he did not need to worry about that. They can surely motivate themselves to work hard… and there will be no regrets amongst them if they do not make the cut.

'All of you…'

He spoke softly and all of them looked up to him in surprise as he had not said a word since Chihiro's speech and all of them smiled grimly when Keima declared to them in a soft and silky voice.

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'**The real training begins now. If you are thinking of quitting or giving up, this is your final chance. There will be no turning back after this.'**

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..

He is the **Capturing God** after all, the word impossible is not in his dictionary. Even if he does not wish to be 'captured' by the girls, there is no reason for him to ignore the cries of help from these girls, even if they are 'real girls' and not 2D ones.

That would tarnish his name and his status, thus… he will dedicate himself fully to this task even if the target is a 'real event'.

With his help, there is no way they can fail after all!

'Be happy, you just received the help and blessing of a **God.'**

Katsuragi Keima muttered softly to himself, striking his trademark pose with a hand over one eye as the girls all nodded as one, face and smile set in a grim line, ready to be the best they ever could be.

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* * *

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In the end, it was decided that all of the girls will take a turn in singing the song that they had selected for the rehearsal. It was a slow song with simple but meaningful, chosen to help Chihiro by not stressing her vocals as well as to, as Keima put it: '_Express one's experience' _through the lyrics itself.

Of course, Keima did not wish to have the girls practice their vocals as much as Chihiro as the music accompanying the song is important as well.

Thus their allocations to which part and when to sing is important, a bonus for them is that by doing so, the band would seem more natural and less 'falsified', their voices suiting and matching what they usually were like in real life.

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The chorus would of course be sung by everyone with a specific lead singer at each portion. Elsi would take the opening few lines as her cheerful and optimistic voice is suited to set the overall tone and mood of the song, a light and cheerful song detailing about friendship and a journey together.

**(Author's Notes: If you have a song in mind, tell me. Jap preferred of course.)**

Terada would handle the next few lines with the rest echoing after her, her position in the back as well as her collected and steady voice would be able to aid and bolster the impact from Chihiro's voice as she takes the next few lines, following with the chorus.

After the chorus, Ayumi would be up next for the next few lines as she has the quality in her voice to cheer and rouse up the excitement of the audience, helping Terada who will follow her with a small section of the song that is focused more on reciting the wishes of the girls involved, thanking the members of the audience in listening to them.

Elsi would follow with the chorus again, leading the girls into the final portion of the song to allow Chihiro to end the song with the climax and the last chorus, signaling the end of their journey and thanking each other for being there when they needed them.

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..

It is a song that all of the girls found meaningful and surprised to see Keima know about till he mentioned to them:

_'It's the OP for XXX'_

In which the girls promptly sighed but still accepted his suggestions nonetheless, even though the song would possibly be unknown to most people around them.

'Let's do it one time, shall we?

* * *

**Author's Notes: Nothing really except R&R**


	20. Watashi wa Idol!

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 20: Watashi Wa Idl!**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: This chapter was agonizing hard to squeeze out. Oh, R&R and please, support Sorrel's Teasing too!  
**

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'Ahem…'

It has taken time, but with the time given to him with the girls practicing, Katsuragi Keima has worked his magic again, helping to produce some real curtains from nowhere, hanging them up and turning the lights off, the small room seemed more like a real recording studio than ever, especially when Keima set up several mics in front of them, attached real speakers and tuned them to their guitars and even shone a make shift spot light with the help of several flashlights.

Even if it was far from the real thing, it was close enough and when Keima plugged into the sound system with one of his many headphones, he gave the signal for them to start with a thumbsup.

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It was, as promised, Elsi's turn and she started slowly and softly, hesitating with the lyrics that was placed with the score in front of her. But it was a good effort nonetheless… slowly her trembling and shaking voice turned confident, especially when Keima, with his eyes closed, listened to her efforts.

It was a little rough, but he has to give credit where it was due. She was ideal for the lead as even her flaws would still be accepted by the audience.

Her archetype was probably suited for it, a type that tries her best to help, but end up failing in the process. However, that is the same reason that makes her endearing to the fans and the people around her.

First impressions were important after all and they must get it accurate, they must let the judges, the audience, sympathize and supportive of their band.

Or at the least, be forgiving for their lack of experience.

The other 'competitors', the official 'Light Music Club', the Cultural Performance Clubs and of course, the students that have formed their bands a long time ago were all 'veterans' in their own way.

They have probably played long and hard over the summer or even longer than that… for a rookie team like the '2-B Pencils' to actually compete on an even ground, it will need some 'setting up'.

He is the **Capturing God** after all, even miracles can be performed with his skill and knowledge.

..

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As Elsi passed on the baton to Terada, Keima knew that although Terada Miyako is not a very outstanding girl and is as plain as Chihiro, his interactions with her, though limited, has shown that she is not just an ordinary girl after all.

She has shown herself to be a diligent and hardworking individual, careful in her demeanor, meaning that she is a person who is naturally keen to ask questions and to practice whatever she is focusing on at the moment.

It is with that trait that Keima decided to let Terada be the second in line after Elsi.

After all, she was the one person who might actually put in lots of effort and would be the quickest learner amongst the group.

She was after all, the only girl with any sort of musical background prior to this and this meant she would have the most explosive growth under his tutorage. Even if she does not have the talent, the advantage of talent can be eroded with sheer hard work and diligence, something that Terada Miyako posses.

Terada Miyako, such a dark horse in the group, but it is perfectly why such a Dark Horse can be utilized as a secret weapon.

As the second singer, she might not possess the looks or the energy of Elsi or Ayumi, but she can display the hard work and the 'equality' put forward by the 2-B Pencils, something that would sway the judges as well as appeal to the audience by winning sympathy points.

Yes, even in a scenario like this… it is still 'Capturing' the Audience and the Judge's Heart!

He is the **Capturing God** after all! He has done this so many times that he can probably do it blindfolded!

…

…

In a game of course…

* * *

..

..

As he expected, Terada's voice was the most polished… even if she seems to have difficulty in remembering the lyrics. Her facial expression was a little rigid and not as natural as Elsi, but that is to be expected as well… if she can fix those flaws, she could possibly be more popular in class as well?

However, that is not Katsuragi Keima's motive at the moment, his short term goal is to allow those girls to be in the Mai-Fest after all, nothing else.

Noting down those points, he looked up to see Chihiro taking her turn as it reached the chorus.

'~~~'

..

..

She has taken time to practice her voice from Keima's advice and she performed much better than before. Most importantly however, is that Chihiro has gained in confidence and she has now more 'showmanship' than before, even adding a few gestures while she is singing, probably trying to project an image of an audience in front of her.

It was perhaps a little silly in this dark room with only himself as the audience, but everyone present felt her true emotions that day.

All of them understood what Keima meant by: 'Conveying her emotions through a song'. It made even Ayumi's small performance the day before pale in comparison as Chihiro poured her soul and heart into that small chorus.

Was it that the lyrics suited her feelings right now? Or was it simply that she was in her 'best' today?

Or was it that her stubborn spirit refused to give in to Ayumi, whose stellar performance had driven her to practice furiously through the whole night.

She pulled it off nicely and Keima was happy with her performance. One might wonder why he placed Chihiro to lead the chorus but it was simple actually.

Chihiro is supposedly the lead singer of the group, as the lead, she is responsible for the overall 'feel' and the energy of the group.

Even if she is lacking in energy as compared to Ayumi, looks to Elsi and is not as stellar in her growth as Terada. She has one thing that the other girls lack.

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She, Kosaka Chihiro is a natural born leader… she can create the mood, uplift the people around her and is a natural born performer.

Unlike Elsi or Ayumi who can only impress with their looks, unlike Terada who can impress with skill, Chihiro impresses people around her without herself noticing it.

Although she is described as normal and plain, she still stands out amongst the girls in class as she is the one who leads the people, and she does so with no one objecting her leadership.

It is something that is hard to explain, but perhaps one can describe Chihiro as truthful, open and transparent… causing everyone to believe in her words and her actions.

This, translated to her singing meant that whatever she sings, she is able to convey her true emotions through them, what she felt when she is singing.

Is she happy singing the song, is she excited, is she forced? Is she nervous? All of that, one can more or less gather from her singing just by listening to her.

If Takahara Ayumi can described as a radio, using her songs to convey her emotions through to the listener. One is listening to Kosaka Chihiro in person as she sings no matter through what medium, projecting her emotions just as if she was speaking to one in person.

That is how close one can get to Chihiro through her songs.

..

..

Katsuragi Keima is the **Capturing God**, but one does not become a **God **through mere skills in playing, he has to know all about a person just by observing them, little things that one does not pay attention to and he gains insight on who that person truly is.

That is why he can classify all those girls he had captured so far and in this scenario, push out their greatest skill for everyone else to see.

All of them have their strengths, their uniqueness and their own appeal. It is for him to showcase that to the world, both as a manager as well as his pride as a **Capturing God**, he said he'll let them succeed and this is his answer.

* * *

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..

The rehearsal was undoubtedly a success and when the girls listened to the playback, all of them were shocked to see the difference in their previous tapes. Keima has taken time to listen to their tapes and determined that it was not that they were not skilled, but they have no idea on the proper usage of their skills.

'I-it's amazing, Katsuragi-kun!"

The first to give compliments was Terada as usual and she happily beamed at Keima, who simply nodded nonchalantly. Even though he was their manager, he had no reason for someone unrelated to get close to him. Being cold and aloof is still the image that he should portray, even if it is a different case for the girls that he was currently focused on.

Another rule in capturing a girl would be that the hero, if possible should show a side that is only seen by the heroine. This is similar to how heroines are created, they would always have an 'event' that changes them from how they appear to others.

The 'event' would be known only to the hero if he chooses the route…. And he would usually display something that is unexpected or the opposite of what the heroine would expect.

Call it cliché if you will, but in this story, in this capture and in this investigation, the plots are linked together… each girl should have one similar event that causes them to remember what had happened in the future.

One defining link that he has seen and yet ignored…

..

..

'Isn't it, Ayumi-chan?'

Noticing that the other girls, Elsi, Chihiro and Ayumi were all still stuck listening to the playback over and over again, she shook her head in exasperation when she realized that they weren't stunned after all, they were simply listening to the playback and trying to get better at their various parts where they had to sing.

'Working hard is good and commendable, but it is not good to strain all of your bodies.'

Turning off the playback with a flick of a switch, Keima tossed canned drinks to the trio and to Terada before turning on the lights and crossing his arms.

'Take a breather, you have a break of half an hour before we try that again.'

As the girls looked at each other, some of them giving a sigh, he added a sentence that made them brighten up considerably.

'It was a steller performance, so work hard to maintain that standard.'

..

..

* * *

..

..

Everything seemed to be going well except for one thing. The investigation was being stalled due to his involvement with the girl band and the **Capturing God** knew he had no one else to blame but himself.

He had dug himself into this grave, this trap and it is his job to get the investigation back in track. His first step of course, was to make sure that he does not trigger another 'scene' or 'event' and the easiest way to do so is to approach the girls not as a 'hero' but as a 'secondary character' ready to advance the plot.

Sitting beside the girls as they started packing up after the long and grueling practice session, Katsuragi Keima asked a simply question to all of them.

..

..

'Do anyone of you believe in Repressed Memory, it is a medical condition that makes one forgets certain events due to trauma or stress.'

..

..

He appreciated that two girls amongst the four girls present did froze and he tapped his head while pushing his glasses up in that trademark pose of his before slowly turning back to face them and to deliver the next line with a poker face.

..

..

'Although it is unlikely, I think it is possible… there are times that I believe that I too forget something important… Elsi should know about that, right?'

Giving her a meaningful look, Elsi reacted in time with a nod, causing the girls to look at him and then look down.

'Erm… we didn't know about that, Katsuragi-kun… does that mean that you do forget things that you have done before?'

Terada as usual seems to be the secondary character in the group, the one that responds and recovers the fastest and is the one that is most commonly pushing the storyline forward.

'I do not know, I do tend to avoid remembering or mentioning several particular periods in the past. It is always at the tip of my tongue.

Thus, please forgive me if do not recall things… and I understand if you do not want someone like me as the Manager, a person who might ditch his responsibilities in the most crucial moment… you can ask me to leave at any moment.'

..

..

Closing one eye, he made sure he cast a sorrowful image as he left the room without a word, hoping that Elsi would catch on and help to reinforce that image and new revelation he had just revealed to them.

'Oh…'

But before he left the room, he turned back and whispered softly to them.

'Would you keep it a secret to the others? As I the manager of the band, I do not wish to let anyone of you panic if it does happen to me.'

Closing the door behind him, he hoped he triggered something amongst the girls; that would let them confess to him about what has happened to them.

They could be still confused and a little upset about what had happened between the time he 'captured' them and right now. It might be a stretch, but if he was the one who confessed to them about it suddenly, it might actually be easier for them to buy into the reason.

After all, to catch someone off guard would lower their defenses and make it easier for them to accept whatever that is being told and handed to them.

..

..

He has provided an explanation of the cloud of questions that could be hovering around in their minds, all he need now is to wait for them to approach him.

..

..

But it, like any weapon, is like a double edged sword. Since he mentioned 'trauma' or 'stress', what kind of stress might he be facing… if the periods that he has forgotten is with the girls that he had done so much for?

* * *

_ .._

_..  
_

_An uncomfortable silence loomed over the group as Keima-kun left. The girls probably did not expect something so sudden or so dramatic a confession from him. But was it a sign that he was opening to them as well?_

_All of them did not know what was going on through his head as he made that confession nor what feelings he felt when he told them the secret that he has kept for so long._

_Slowly, one by one their eyes turned to Elsi, who was fidgeting and looking away from all of them._

_As his sister, she probably knew about that fact long before all of them._

_.._

_..  
_

_Was this why he always kept to himself? Was this why he avoided direct contact with people, because he was afraid of what might happen if his 'illness' is discovered?_

_But isn't he a strong person? A strong and iron-willed person who believes in himself?_

_The image of Katsuragi Keima besides that of an Otamegane is simply that he is unapproachable, a person with great pride in his own ability and most importantly, confident and views everyone below him._

_Could a person like that, truly be as weak as to avoid people because of a condition like this?_

_.._

_..  
_

_The girls were not convinced and they wanted a reply from Katsuragi Elsi, the person that is the closest to him. After all, she is the only person that he allowed to be by his side ever since she appeared._

_She was the closest to him, the girls knew that and they probably wanted answers from her, any clue to why he said that to them._

_'… Kami-Onii-sama he… never told me about that before…'_

_She lowered her head and the girls, after realizing that even Elsi did not know this dark secret that he held yet, went even quieter._

_'But… I think, Kami-Onii-sama wanted all of us to know… because he does not want anyone of us to feel sad or sorry for him. Kami-Onii-sama is a strong person, he wouldn't want to be pitied… he probably…'_

_Without knowing it, Elsi said the line that the **Capturing God **wanted her to say._

_'He probably just wanted everyone to know, because he didn't want to hurt anyone of us… if he forgets all of a sudden…'_

_It was probably a lame excuse to their ears, something unbelievable straight out of a TV drama, except all of them had something similar happen to them…_

_Right?_

_.._

_..  
_

_'That's right, he wouldn't want us to feel sorry for him… he would hate us if he does that… he's a proud person after all.'_

_Crossing her arms, Chihiro said her lines and shared her views with the rest as they all slowly nodded their heads._

_'I guess… Keima-kun has his own worries after all… not knowing when or why he might forget things…'_

_'… It's unbelievable seeing his good results but… I guess, anything and everything is possible under the sun, right?'_

_Smiling bitterly, all of the girls looked at each other before rallying around Chihiro as one, she is the leader after all._

_'... Alright…'_

_Sighing as she placed her hand forward again, just like how she had done before… she is always the Leader of the 2-B Pencils, that's her character setup after all and she won't disappoint anyone of them!_

_'Katsuragi has told us some incredible things. Whether it is the truth or it is a lie… that doesn't change the fact that he is our manager. We should still support him through that! At least, I'm not as coldhearted to ignore a person who has helped me so much… right?'_

_She probably spoke for all of them as even though the message was unclear, the things said could possibly be a lie. The girls did not wish to just dismiss Keima._

_Katsuragi Keima, who did his best in helping them, there is no reason for them to blame him for something that is out of his control._

_.._

_..  
_

_'If, and if he forgets about the time he helped us… we'll make him remember all over again!'_

_The true feelings of the girls, will it reach the **Capturing God** waiting outside?_

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: I still think it is a little forced though...  
**


	21. Insider Info

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 21: Insider Info**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: IRL sucks, but thanks to the review I'm more motivated now.**

**But please, wish me luck... if luck screws me over, i won't be writing for some time...**

* * *

..

..

It would be a while before Keima returned to the room and what greeted him was of almost all the girls having left the room. They probably had things to think through, but no, the one thing that surprised him was that instead of Elsi staying behind, it was Miyako Terada who stayed behind to wait for him.

Miyako Terada is not a 'heroine' in this story, she can be called as the spectator on the 'side-character' in this story, a person who is active in the story but who does not have her own 'route' nor 'event' specially made for her.

Still, Keima was glad for someone like her to be present as she is the one who had helped him progress through the story up till now.

Without her, he would no doubt have difficulty joining the group in the first place.

He wouldn't want her to be a 'heroine' in a remake of this 'game', but he mentally told himself to be more polite to this girl as he did owe her a little.

..

..

Sitting down with her things all packed and ready, Miyako Terada stood up as soon as he entered and he tilted his head to show his confusion at her being here. It was only logical, she had no links to her and there is nothing hinting her to be involved with him as well as he had not actively pursued or tried to 'capture' her.

Was she simply a messenger for the girls? Or was she here to advance the plot?

..

..

'Konbanwa, Katsuragi-kun.'

Smiling as Keima nodded to her in acknowledgement, Terada paced around for a moment while Keima just stood at the entrance of the room, unsure whether to keep listening to her or to take flight.

This look suspiciously like another event, but this time he was the cause of it.

Saying such a lame excuse in front of the girls was lame, it was so lame that he could probably burn the company that made such an excuse as a plot in a game.

But there was still the slight, minute chance of it being the truth.

If one compares this reason with the truth, of them having their memories erased or modified from devils as in New Hell because they were possessed by weiss who escaped hell and wanted to be reborn using their bodies…

It would be the latter, his reason that would be more believable, as incredulous as it sounds.

Sure, Keima could probably come up with a better excuse with more time, but this was the best reason to explain why so many girls and many people have different memories and opinions of him.

After all, rumors are probably the hardest thing in the world to judge a person about.

If the reason of all the lapses in memories is himself, it was difficult for the girls to actually blame him for something that was out of his control. Even if fundamentally the pressing question of why all the girls 'forgot' about him in the first place is not answered.

..

..

'You told us something incredible today, Katsuragi-kun… well I personally do wish to believe it…'

He kept his cool and nodded his head, using his silence as if to say: 'I knew that you would say that.'

'But, Ayumi-chan and Chihiro-chan… they seem to believe it… Elsi-chan is your little sister, so…'

She trailed off and Keima simply followed her path around the room with his eyes, pacing about and taking her time to say her piece.

It was probably something regarding the girls and he simply looked on at her as she spoke softly.

'So I'll believe it, for now. There are things that I've heard about you that were false, and things that I've heard about you that were true… but the most important thing right now is that, you kept your word and did what you came here to do.'

Pausing dramatically as she rested one hand on her instrument, the keyboard that she had packed away and was resting beside her bag as she looked up at Keima with a small smile.

..

..

'I did not know what your reasons were to come and help us. Perhaps Elsi persuaded you to help us, perhaps you just wanted to… mind, I'm just making a guess here.'

One could never imagine Miyako Terada to be casted in such an important role but the **Capturing God** was indeed shocked by her approach when she placed one hand on her lip and whispered softly to him.

'To make amends for what you did to the two of them.'

It made him jump a little, it seemed Terada too knew what was going on and his lips dried a little, his hands clenched harder as he looked at Terada, now looking away from him as he looked away from him as she gazed out at the storeroom window.

'You did keep your word, teaching and coaching us… and motivating all of us. Thanks to you we were able to perform better, your criticism and advice all worked. Chihiro-chan and Ayumi-chan, the both of them seemed to be more motivated now and they improved by leaps and bounds.

Even Elsi-chan seems more passionate about play too… it seems just a bit too good to be true.'

..

..

Smiling wistfully, she never once turned back and Keima considered the possibility that she was upset that she was the only person who did not improve as much as them and woe the fact that she did not have enough 'talent' for him to help develop?

It was to be expected after all, from the start she was the most skilled and experience player in the band as she had the basics all fine tuned and taught… the rest, with their lack of practice and coaching, was able to more or less catch up with Terada after having the basics introduced to them.

..

'But that is to be expected, they had such a great coach. You reminded me of the teacher that taught me how to play, I am always grateful to him. His words had always affected me, influenced me and urged me to play harder every time I felt like giving up. He was as inspiring as you, Katsuragi-kun.'

She smiled at him, this time a happy one and he relaxed a little while he considered on whether he should or should not reply her right now?

Should he return the favor with a nod? If Miyako Terada is the 'guide' to extend the arc, it woud only benefit him if he played along after all. But he is the **Capturing God, ** he was not supposed to 'capture' her or anyone and thus he shook his head, declining his chance to further any routes that was being offered to him.

'I'm not sure what you mean by that… Miyako-san, I am simply… doing the things that I wished to do… there is nothing special about what I am doing right now.'

Dismissing her words and praise, he made it so that he looked like he was about to leave when she surprised him.

..

..

'So which one of them did you come to make amends to, Katsuragi-kun, Ayumi… or Chihiro?'

He paused for a second, a deliberate pause in his steps that he made sure Terada noticed, so that was her motive…

She was not here as a spokesperson or a 'guide'. What he had said to them, was believed by the targets and there was probably a continuation after this particular even with one of the girls.

His instincts told him to escape, this is the 'splitting of paths' and Terada is the person that would interfere and intervene his advances if he picked the wrong choice.

..

..

The decision was obvious, the choice was not… was it Ayumi or Chihro?

But the key word today is 'Amends'.

What does she mean by that, amends?

He was tempted to give a vague reply as an answer, that would leave the two 'routes' open for him to probe further.

But now, his instincts tell him that Terada's role has expanded further than he imagined, she knew something and remembered something from the past events.

She was present when he 'captured' Ayumi and was around when he did the same to Chihiro, was she like Yoshino Ikumi, a bystander that held clues regarding what happened to all of them in regaining their memories?

'What do you mean by that, Miyako…'

Turning to her with narrowed eyes, neither of them were disappointed when Terada smile smiled knowingly and sat down on her luggage, crossing her legs and looking at him evenly as if challenging him in the first place.

..

..

'Katsuragi-kun knows what I mean… Ayumi-chan wa, Chihiro-chan wa, which one of them did you came to make amends to… Katsuragi-kun has been close to them before, desho? Even if the three of you seems to want to ignore the topic.'

She smiled as Keima simply furrowed his brows and pinched the bridge of his nose to fake a headache. This is definitely a clue, a very important clue that he has been lacking. Terada really is the hidden gem in this group and he found himself extremely lucky that he has not ignored her up till now.

'So if you do know about it… why have you kept quiet till now? Why have you not questioned me in front of them?'

Trying to keep his voice terse and tensed, Keima was actually slowly and methodically baiting and taking down everything that Terada was saying, she might be the one to lead him to the culprit.

'I did not wish to hurt Ayumi-chan or Chihir-chan by mentioning it… and Katsuragi-kun, you too… it's bad of you, to lie to them like that. Something as convenient as that does not exist.'

'Do not try to hide things from me or to lie to me about this, Katsuragi-kun… or I will really get mad.'

Emphasizing just as he was about to defend himself, Terada smiled and he sensed the inner change in her mood before closing his eyes and taking a deep breath.

..

..

'…hah… yes, assuming something as convenient like that is a fallacy. It simply does not exist an excuse so convenient that would allow me to resolve all question marks. But it might be better if it was so, am I not accurate in my judgment?'

'Katsuragi-kun, Ayumi-chan and Chihiro-chan the both of them are not used to expressing their feelings so easily for others to see, but Katsuragi-kun, you are amazing as well. I would almost have bought your reasons as well… you did indeed seemed to have forgotten about them, the way you approached Chihiro-chan after 'ditching' Ayumi-chan was simply cruel.'

Her words made him flinch a little as he did sense a little contempt from her but it only served to make Terada bolder as she crossed her arms and pointed a finger at him accusingly.

'Katsuragi-kun, you are really an impressive teacher and I am indeed happy to be in your care. But, I would not allow you to hurt Ayumi-chan or Chihiro-chan again after what you did last time…'

* * *

..

..

_While Terada was speaking with Keima, the other 3 girls were waiting impatiently outside for her and Keima._

_'They are taking so long… I need a bath, Ayumi!'_

_Clinging on to Ayumi's back, Chihiro displayed the childish side of her when she giggled as Ayumi pushed her away with disgust._

_'You're all Sticky! We sure worked up a sweat today, huh?'_

_Smiling happily as they recalled how their music sounded now and compared it to the tape they had done earlier before Summer started. They had improved by leaps and bounds and it was all due to their new found manager._

_'Mm! We'll surely be able to perform at the Mai-High Fest! Let's work harder tomorrow!'_

_Smiling in agreement at the other girls who simply nodded their heads in agreement, Chihiro's jaw dropped when the person that they had just mentioned appeared in front of them._

_.._

_..  
_

_'A-Ah!'_

_'Good evening everyone…~'_

* * *

_ .._

_..  
_

It was a stalemate between the two of them, Terada who had discovered the truth and Keima who had came clean to her. The other girls had accepted his explanation, sketchy as it has been, he guessed that Elsi had perhaps a hand in that… but Terada had not been hoodwinked by it as she was not involved in person in both situations.

She was only a bystander and a witness, a person that did not have ties to it emotionally and thus could judge the situation rationally.

In contrast, Ayumi and Chihiro are weighed down emotionally by that encounter, Doubts and hopes were rift and this will make them believe many unbelievable things. Even if they do realize it was odd that they did not know why they had forgotten or why they had suddenly remembered everything or simply, like Terada, glossed over those minute details, they still hold affection for him.

Love can make people blind after all and they could possibly ignore the obvious and pursue the incredible just because they liked him.

Such is the fragility and purity of a girl's love…

..

..

Terada however, was free from such biasness and was able to confront and call Keima out based on the facts. Pretty daring considering she was not even a 'heroine'. In the first place.

'… I do not wish to-'

He started slowly but Terada raised a hand to stop him before smiling.

'Please refrain from telling me that… I think Ayumi-chan and Chihiro-chan deserves the right to hear that from you personally… what I wish to know however… is that…'

Closing her eyes she looked at him sternly and asked the question that he did not expect her to pose.

'What about Kanon-chan?'

* * *

..

..

_Climbing up the steps towards the classroom after speaking with the members of the girl band, I found my heart beating furiously as I had the answer that I wanted from one of them that I recognized as his sister._

_It is not yet time for me to return to school just yet, I still have a few scheduled TV shows to shoot, a single to record and promotional activities to attend._

_But I still wanted to come back here, to return to the place I met him for the first time._

_It is kind of embarrassing to admit, but I did not like him at all in the first place…_

_.._

_..  
_

_But after I recalled what happened then, I suppose it was the first time that I actually found a person that was ignorant of my status as an Idol and perhaps the first person to treat me like a real individual._

_Perhaps that's why I became mad at him for ignoring me… I was probably expecting him to know me then._

_..  
_

_Climbing up the stairs to our classroom, I slipped into the room and took a moment to stare at the setting sun, bathing in the warm evening sun before heading towards my destination, a certain desk in the room._

_.._

_..  
_

_'Katsuragi-kun… please, wait for me, just a while longer…'_

_Smiling, I slipped the disc into the table when the door suddenly swung open, causing me to start a little before turning back._

_'Ah!'_

_Two different voices, the same reply and the two just stared at each other, their hearts beating faster at this random encounter._

* * *

_ .._

_..  
_

In retrospect, he should be more confident. Thinking about it, he should have answered without hesitation. But the next few sentences she had asked made him stumble a little.

'_Kanon-chan she, seems to know you from before, Katsuragi-kun. I remember once when Kanon-chan returned to school she sought you out almost instantly, staring at you for a while… and Kanon-chan she…'_

_Raising a hand, Keima shook his head and said so softly that there was no way he would know an idol that Miyako Terada barely heard him._

_.._

_..  
_

_'If you say so… Katsuragi-kun… but Kanon-chan she… couldn't like you too… right?'_

_Accepting his words, Miyako Terada nodded her head skeptically while leaving the room by herself, leaving him alone waiting for a break._

_.._

_..  
_

He knew she probably did, she was the other person who has actually showed sighs that she still retained races of memories of his time with her.

Like Ayuki and Chihiro before her, he knew she would have regained all of her memories, whether gradually or at once is the key question.

As she had approached him before, he could safely say it was the latter.

..

..

Dragging his tired feet up the stairs towards his class where he had left his precious PFP there for safekeeping, Katsuragi Keima pushed open the door to see a person he did not expect to see.

Nakagawa Kanon, the most popular idol in Japan right now staring back at him in the flesh.

Dressed in the same Mai-high School uniform, she still looked great. From her neatly trimmed pink hair to the way her nails were done, not mentioning how she managed to make the same boring old school uniform look unique and special on her.

'Ah…'

Lost for words, the **Capturing God** was brought down to earth when she looked down, a red hue spreading all over her face as she bowed and then smiled at him, pressing her hands over her chest as she took a step towards him.

..

..

'Tadaima, Katsuragi-kun. O-shashiburi desu neh?' (I'm home/back, Katsuragi-kun. It has been a long right, right?)

..

..

In that instant, he knew she remembered and it is the same time that he knew he could not escape this trap that had been sprung on him.

'Kanon…'

Looking away, Keima hurriedly closed the door behind him while Kanon simply smiled happily at being able to be alone with him, her heart racing as she ran forward, clearing the distance between them in a heartbeat, even if it seemed like an eternity as she hugged him tightly, burying her face into his chest while her hands hooked around his waist, not letting him go.

'F-finally… I… I can see you again, Katsuragi-kun…. Finally after so long…'

She did not notice how the **Capturing God** was shivering, his mind and heart racing at being in such close contact with her. He was a guarded person and he took special care not to get too physically intimate with any of the girls.

With the exception of the final kiss to 'capture' the girl, he had taken pains and care not to be physically close with any of the targets.

It is simply too easy to fall into the trap of being too close to the girl if they were physically close. Even holding hands can be a danger…

..

..

But Nakagawa Kanon has, before her official 'capture' shaken him tremendously by actually wanting to kiss him willingly instead of him having to earn it.

It had taken all his willpower to reject it and force her to confront the harsh truth, the hard and cruel path to success as an idol instead of taking the sheltered way with him by her side.

Yes, he had 'ditched' her to be alone…

But if Leaders are always alone as they are in the front, leading people forward…

Idols are the same, they are always alone as they inspire, they motivate and they encourage the people who listen to them…

They are always in a league on their own, untouchable and unreachable to the normal people..

..

..

But by doing so, he had allowed her to bloom, to be better and to be the best that she can ever be.

Even if the alternative was for him to be with her…

Now, when she has reached her peak of her career, when she has achieved probably the best of her life and what she can accomplish, she is now ready to return to him, hoping she would be welcome with open arms.

How should he react now?

Welcome her back?

His shivering hands wanted so much to push her away, to deny being with him… but even he, the **Capturing God, **can't deny this lost lamb waiting to be saved again.

* * *

**Author's Notes: My grasp of japanese is a little weak.**

**Also, KAMI NOMI SEASON II~~ Eheh~  
**


	22. All 4 You!

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 22: All 4 You**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I lost my best reviewer. Boo.**

**But on the bright side, IRL stuff has been sorta resolved. For a month at least...**

* * *

..

..

She did not care what reasons he had to leave her. But she knew that it was all for her sake, for her to be stronger and for him to be really stay by his side.

He did not understand why she had no qualms for him leaving her. He had left her for it will make her stronger and more able to face the challenges that the world will no doubt throw at this up and coming idol.

The two of them were now joined as one, their bodies in close contact as Kanon buried her face into his chest while Keima simply froze in position.

It was lucky that it was during after school hours, he would imagine it would cause a humongous ruckus not only in school but in the rest of Japan if news got out that the Idol, Nakagawa Kanon was seen hugging a random High School Student.

Protagonist A, I mean Katsuragi Keima would be the public enemy of all her fans while the tabloids around the world would flash this scandalous photo all around.

The scale of the event boggled even Keima's mind but as if she was reading his mind, Kanon whispered shyly to him as he stiffly looked down at her.

..

..

'I've always wanted to go public… with our relationship, Keima-kun, that's why I've been hinting about that in all the interviews since I released the single~'

Unable to take the physical contact any longer, Keima slowly pushed Kanon away and persuaded her to sit down in a chair while he too sat down in front of him.

A little disappointed at not being able to continue hugging him, Kanon pouted a little but still remained in her seat obediently as Keima questioned her with short but precise questions.

'Public… our relationship, Kanon?'

'Yes, our relationship with each other, Keima-kun…. You really shouldn't let the girl say that out loud…'

Blushing and looking away, Keima felt his headache return and he ran one hand through his hair in frustration as she evenly looked back in confusion.

'… our relationship with each other… huh.'

He took composed breath as Kanon nodded her head in happiness, beaming happily as he spoke to her.

'Yes, my relationship with Keima-kun~ I'm finally ready to be with you. I will have no regrets… none at all.'

Beaming as she grabbed his arm and held it closer and closer to her chest till Keima snatched it away while looking a little awkward.

He was unsure of what to do as he had not expected Kanon to appear so suddenly nor so soon after the 'event' triggered as they had simply casually mentioned her.

..

..

'None at all, Kanon? I do not know what gave you that confidence to… say you have no regrets being with me… but your career…'

He was not trying to feign that he has no memory of their meeting together, their secret rendezvous nor the kiss that they had shared.

It was foolish of him as she had already displayed symptoms previously that she still retained memories after her capture when he tutored her and the rest of the girls for their exams.

But it was also simple for him to deal with Kanon as the convenient 'memory lapse' can be explained by him saying:

'I did not wish to associate myself with you because of your status… Kanon… I did not wish to drag your career down just because of me and me alone. You are an Idol, a being untouched by us normal people… I would only have tarnished your reputation.'

Lowering his head, Keima made his answer to the unasked question that was probably bugging Kanon and he was rewarded easily when Kanon nodded her head and clutched his hands even tighter than before.

..

..

'I know, Keima-kun… It hurt, but I knew that it was like that… It was my fault, I shouldn't have made you fall in love with me… I'm just a worthless girl, a coward who wasn't able to be strong till you held my hand and taught me how…'

Smiling with tears forming in her eyes, Kanon showed how much Keima had impacted her life when she continued.

'B-because of Keima-kun… that's why I became stronger… that's why I could become who I am now, the Idol Nakagawa Kanon… without meeting Keima-kun… I would probably have destroyed my own career…'

Allowing the tears to flow freely, Kanon repeated to the **Capturing God** while he listened to her heartfelt words.

'But Keima-kun… I… I achieved my dream… I got many, many people to listen to my songs…'

She closed her eyes and prayed, it was probably still her dream to have millions to listen to her songs and she has achieved that by having numerous concerts after the release of her first Maxi single a few months back.

Now it was the time for a new single and she penned it for the boy she loved.

'I… I cannot… I can't…'

..

..

Lowering her head, Keima knew exactly what she was trying to say and he was utterly unprepared to deal with those words even if he knew what was coming.

After all, emotions were a hard thing to control and it was doubly difficult with a tearing girl that was inches away from him.

It reminded him of the kiss that they had shared and it made him turn a little red as Kanon leaned closer, her hands now firmly gripping on his hand, preventing him from pulling away as she confessed to him once again.

'I cannot stand not being with Keima-kun anymore. I was weak then… I couldn't allow you to be by my side… it's better for me and for you then… I would only have pulled you down with me and you would have been the target of the fans that I had left… but now, but now it is different…

My single, did you listen to it? I… I wrote it with you in mind… I am… I am strong enough now that you can be my side without being hurt.'

They were inches away from each other now, so close were they that the both of them could feel their warm breath on each other and Keima, despite himself, swallowed nervously in anticipation of what he cannot prevent.

Yes, he could probably not prevent this 'flag' & 'event' from stopping now that he had gone so far.

In fact, he was unsure whether he should even stop it in the first place? If he wanted to, he could have arrested it's development earlier after all.

..

..

'So please… Keima… would you let me be with you now? Just like you gave me everything, I will give up everything for you too… if I just can be by your side…'

* * *

..

..

_From the door, a single solitary girl peeped at the scene unfolding in the room with a body that was shaking with pain and betrayal._

_Every single cell of her body was crying out loud in anguish and pain but there was nothing she could do to stop it from happening._

_She wanted to burst into the room to stop them, but how can she make herself to do that? To harm two individuals that she viewed as important in her life. To destroy the dream of one of them and to allow her to grant her own wish for the other individual?_

_Even though her heart was breaking, her body was being tore apart by just witnessing it happening, the girl remained quiet… biting her lip as she felt her entire world shatter below her feet once again._

_Just like water, if it is contaminated with anything else other than pure water, the stains cannot be removed so easily. If they cross over that particular line, there was no going back in their relationship._

..

..

_In every relationship, there is one barrier that they cannot and usually will not break. But, love finds a way after all… over time, the boy that you grew up with would be the person you cannot pass the day without, the girl that you had spent quarreling with all the time makes the world dull without her presence._

_Over time and if the factors are right, one will begin to regret and long for the things that till then, seems so commonplace and simple to obtain._

_.._

_..  
_

_For her, his praise and his presence had been the most important part of her life but she had gotten complacent and was simply happy to be by his side and not long for something more than the current situation then._

_But now, when his attention is diverted to so many girls around him, she found that she did not want his attention to be diverted from her._

_Just a few days before, he has only eyes for her, even if the reasons for him doing so were less than flattering, it was still only trained on her._

_Just her, only she has the honor of having the **Capturing God **pay attention to her every word. Even if he might feel frustrated, even if he might feel angry at her… she still had his attention._

_She was the only one allowed to enter his sacred domain, his inner world and she thought she knew him better than any one else._

_The time they spent together seemed the longest and happiest in her entire 300 years of existence. There were times where it felt terrible, but the times that she felt like she was at the top of the world outnumbered them by a large margin._

_.._

_..  
_

_She hated feeling this way, hated the fact that he was being taken away from him, her grasp on him were slowly being loosened and while she was not looking, someone had literally grabbed him away._

_'….'_

_Wordlessly she left, trying to hold herself together long enough to reach home. Till the end, she did not wish to be a burden to him…_

_Like always, if she had just hung around a little longer… simply, a little longer…_

* * *

_ .._

_..  
_

'I refuse.'

The exact same words that he had said when he last saw the idol and for a moment, the idol was stunned and she trembled a little as she asked him to repeat it, unable to believe that someone, anyone would resist such a tempting offer that she thought he was joking with her.

But the **Capturing God **was indeed rejecting her offer. A lesser man would have crumbled at that offer, Nakagawa Kanon has both the looks and personality of a 'perfect' person and it seems there seems to be nothing she can do wrong.

But it was exactly this 'perfection' that made the **Capturing God** able to reject her. In the world, there is no such thing as 'perfection', everything in the world has a flaw and it is impossible for everyone to agree on what is perfect.

She has seen the dark side of Nakagawa Kanon and besides, if he said yes, it would mean the start of something even more horrible than he imagined.

He would not fall into such a clumsy trap like this. Even if the person was Nakagawa Kanon, even if she has the most 'odds' to be a 'yandere' girl, even if she might relapse… he will not and could not accept such an impossible one-sided deal.

For him, a **God **to pledge his life to a human? It is laughable to even consider that offer a good one.

..

..

But that aside, he would be sealing off the other routes if he accepted that offer… even if a nagging feeling is telling him that no matter the route, the other girls will have to confront the fact that he knew Kanon from a long ago eventually.

It would surely be an unavoidable event that he would have to brace for.

But right now, Nakagawa Kanon was the main issue at hand and he grabbed her trembling shoulders as she tried to comprehend what was going on.

The expression on her face said it all, she was in shock, tatters and despair all at the same time.

It has taken almost all of her courage to confess everything to Keima, for her to throw away her career and that bright future from the top of the world to be with him.

And he has actually rejected her?

It was probably enough for her to go crazy and from the buildup, it might not be long before she indeed lose her marbles big time.

'Kanon.'

Looking up slowly with tears now rolling down her cheeks and off her chin, Nakagawa Kanon stared at the boy who had just rejected her and sniffed while he tried to explain.

..

..

'It's not time yet…'

Closing his eyes, his fingers gripped her shoulder harder and it caused her some discomfort especially when it was Keima's turn to lean closer to her, not letting her squirm away as he lowered his head to avoid looking at her eyes.

With a voice thick with emotion accompanied with a small tremble running through her body, Katsuragi Keima showed the world once again why he is called the **Capturing God**.

'No, would you wait for me just a while longer? I do not wish to be a burden to you. So could you please wait for me a little while longer?'

Before Kanon could ask how and why, Keima had replied swiftly, his grip on her tightening so much that it actually began to hurt. But even so, his voice which was so rich with emotions touched the idol who had touched millions with her voice to the point that she was mesmerized by his simple words.

'I'm trying to catch up with you too… in my own way, I wish to find my way to you by following the path that you have left behind. Wait for me Kanon, I will reach you in due time…'

Slowly raising his head, Keima released his grasp on the stunned girl before running a hand up her cheek, wiping away the tears around her eyes as he finished his lines.

..

..

'Even if it seems unbearable, take heart that I will be with you anytime that you wish to talk to me.'

Holding up his PFP, he smiled as he displayed the messages that he had typed beforehand to her, every single one was a message to the future 'Kanon' and for himself.

'There is not a single day where I do not wish I was by your side… I will not be a burden to you… I will NOT let myself be a burden to you, Kanon. So please, do what you have been doing up till now, give the world your voice, it's the greatest gift that you can give to me too.'

It might seem like nothing special, but it gave Keima some breathing room before Kanon started to cling to him in person in public. When it happens, there was no way they can contain the backlash from the rest of the girls.

He needed no flashy lines this time, all he needed was for his emotions to be carried over to her and for her to accept his resolve as well.

Just like how Kanon has shown how determined she is to be with him, he has to show that he too, is equally determined for now not being the right time to announce their 'relationship' with one another.

..

..

That is the only way that she will back off short of him rejecting him.

Woman views and values things differently than what a man does but the **Capturing God **is as true as his name, offering 'something' that is equivalent to what Kanon has placed on the table.

She has placed her future as exchange for being with him along with her career and her reputation as well. She was totally undeterred by what she could lose as a result and thus Keima must offer something of his that is as precious to her as her career to convince her.

Hence, he has offered his 'future' as well, even if the details are vague, he demonstrated that he wished to have the same 'future' as her, wishing to be involved and included in her 'future'.

He has made it clear that he did not wish to put her 'future' on the line and thus has staked his own 'future' to chase after it in order to make both their wishes come true.

Would it be enough for him to stall this unstoppable woman in her charge to make the **Capturing** **God **his?

..

..

He held his breath without realizing it while the seconds ticked by, the sands of time slowly but surely eating away at him till she finally smiled and nodded her head.

'Alright… Keima-kun… I'll wait… I'll bear with it a little while longer…'

Smiling wistfully at him, a smile that would no doubt make an average teenager's knees wobble, Nakagawa Kanon leaned forward and pecked him softly on his cheeks, causing a pink glow to spread over his face as she backed away mischievously, a finger on her lips as she skipped out of reach.

'But Keima-kun… how will you reach me?'

'We will meet you at the Mai-High Fest, Kanon.'

Pushing his glasses up, Keima smiled confidently as Kanon looked stunned at his declaration.

'Just as you will perform at the Mai-High Fest… I will be there as well, with not just me… with the other girls who have the same determination as you.'

It was a subtle hint to her that it was not just her who has the same wish to be with him. There were other girls who were just as qualified to be with him as well.

'Our fate will be decided on that day, Kanon. This I can guarantee you.'

Declaring to her, Katsuragi Keima looked out the window and his eyes were fixated upon the two girls who were waiting at the school gates for him.

'That will be theirs and our final stage…'

'…. Then… Keima-kun.'

Surprisingly, she too spoke up and she reached out to hold his hand firmly in hers as she gave him a deadline as well.

'Then… on that day, will be the day that I will announce my love to you.'

'Kanon… am I really, worth that much?'

A silly question, but Keima was indeed caught off guard by the sudden change of heart.

'Yes, you are… to me… and to the girls you are with right now.'

..

..

One can never doubt a girl's instincts, they are uncanny when it comes to issues of the heart.

She must have sensed their affection for him as well and although it must have pained her, she gave them a sporting change to fight for him.

'So that's why, Keima-kun. That's as long as I will wait… I will, see you at the Mai-High Fest then.'

Clenching her fist and pursing her lip, Kanon took her leave and strode straight towards the door. But she seemingly cannot resist the change to make another quip back.

'But, that doesn't mind you can cheat on me!'

..

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: My stress level is decreasing.. so I should have some more time to write.**

**Figuratively of course.. R&R!  
**


	23. Decision Point

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 23: Decision Point**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: IRL, sucks.**

* * *

** ..**

**..  
**

It would be an uneventful walk back, but reflecting upon it by himself after reaching home, Katsuragi Keima, **the Capturing God**, realized that it was only due to the fact that the presence that has always been behind him was missing.

Upon leaving Kanon in the room by herself, indeed, she herself had said that she wanted to be alone for a while, he had reached the main gate to see that the girls themselves had left.

They must have been waiting for Terada to meet with them and as such, there was no reason for him to hang around waiting for them as well.

It was odd, the presence that till now had been annoying to him, was the source of his unease.

Was he so accustomed to having her around, fussing around him over the most trivial things?

Was he lonely? Was that why he stopped gaming for a moment, putting his PFP down and looking behind his shoulders, hoping to catch a glimpse of the ever smiling girl following his every move.

..

..

But in a first, she was nowhere to be found and Keima found himself standing there alone, by himself in the middle of the road waiting forlornly for the girl that obviously will not appear.

'…'

Closing his eyes, he sighed and reached for his PFP again, only to be stopped by another hand who grabbed his firmly.

A slender and thin hand that he thought was Elsi, and indeed he called out her name in a relieved and annoyed fashion.

'Elsi what-'

But it was, of course, not Elsi. It was the other devil, the one with the polar opposite personality of Elsi that was standing in front of him, her eyes sharp and betraying no emotion whatsoever.

Keima felt a shiver run up his spine. Was this how a devil really looked like?

His first acquaintance with a devil was with Elsi, which one can hardly and remotely compare to the devil one reads about in the many books and novels scattered around the world.

Truth is odder than fiction after all.

..

..

But today, the devil named Haqua du Lot Herminium looked indeed like the devil of old as her scythe, which was resting against her lithe form, towered over her menacingly.

The bladed part of the scythe reflected the light dangerously, the gleaming reflection showing that Haqua had taken extra care today to polish and sharpen in.

Plus adding on the barely concealed twitch of frustration of her mouth, Katsuragi Keima knew that whatever Haqua was about to say, was something of utmost importance.

..

..

The devil looked at him with stony silence and for the first time Keima noticed that the streets were totally deserted. One can literally hear a pin drop in the deserted streets and after a while, Keima broke the silence by calling her name as she made no gesture that she would speak.

'Haqua.'

He spoke her name and the devil responded with a nod of her head as she leaned closer, the hand holding his pushing his away before she grabbed his collar and pulled it closer to her face, her fringe covering her face so that Keima could not gauge what was her expression as she held him there.

Her hands were trembling, showing his anger or nervousness while her grip on the scythe tightened so much that her knuckles turned white.

'It's… lonely, right?'

An unexpected phrase and Keima was unable to react for a second, blinking his eyes in confusion before Haqua violently pulled at his collar in the opposite direction.

He had grown accustomed to violent girls doing that but it was still a shock to him how much strength Haqua had in that lithe body of hers as he was literally flung to the floor by her outburst.

'It's lonely, right? KEIMA!'

She screamed out loud while swinging the scythe inches from her neck, leaving the scythe dangerously near his bare skin as she panted angrily.

What did he do to rile her up like this?

..

..

* * *

..

..

_Walking by herself, the girl did not know where she wanted to go, why she wanted to go there or who she wanted to see._

_All she knew was that, she did not want to be there any longer._

_It hurt her, it was like having small, tiny needles poking into her every second._

_The more time she spent away from him, the more she felt that her heart can burst at any moment._

_But she herself do not know why…_

_.._

_..  
_

_No, she knew why…_

_And that is why she cannot admit it._

_Nor can she tell anyone about it._

_Even if everyone else might already knew about it._

_.._

_..  
_

_That is why she must leave, she must not appear in front of him again if she can help it._

_The girl does not know if she can stand another moment where his eyes are away from her. Another moment where her relationship with him is the same._

_Without him knowing it, without her knowing it, she had wanted more._

_Even if he has already paid so much attention to her, she wanted more, much more._

_More than she should and could have gotten…_

_.._

_..  
_

_But, isn't that what dreams about?_

_Aspiring for the things that one know they will never get it._

_That is why, she can still dream._

_That is why, she sat by herself in the middle of nowhere… and started dreaming once again._

_Of the time where they were close._

_Where they could be closer…_

_Where, she can do things all over again._

* * *

_ .._

_..  
_

'You are…'

Catching a ride from her manager, Nakagawa Kanon told her to stop when she spotted someone familiar; Someone who should not be here in the first place as she stood out way too much in that place.

Alighting from the car, she rushed over to the sleeping girl curled up by herself on the bench overlooking the stadium where she had her first concert.

The same stadium where she had left Keima to pursue her career has it seems, be the place where she found his little sister sleeping outside just as the sun was setting.

'Hello?'

Her memory of her was clear as she had made a great impression by being the first girl who had wanted her interview when she returned to school after her big break as a debut idol.

But right now, that energetic and cheerful girl that she recalled in her memories was gone and replaced with a girl who had tear marks all over her face.

She had been crying, that was evident, but yet why was there a wistful smile on her face as if she was dreaming about something wonderful while she was crying.

..

..

Her hand, which was raised to rouse her, paused as she realized that it was probably cruel to wake her up while she was having that wonderful dream.

Something had happened for her to be there all alone, crying her heart out with no one to comfort her.

The area around the stadium is mostly deserted if there are no major concerts coming up and it was a miracle that she was able to meet with her.

But even so, she could not bear to wake up that sleeping child.

Yes, she instinctively called her a child even though she was most likely the same age as she is…

That was odd, why did she call Keima 'Onii-sama' even if they were the same age?

..

..

But before Kanon could pursue that line of thought, the girl shivered and sneezed, causing her to wake up and blink in confusion at the surroundings.

'Ahh~?'

Rubbing her eyes, she seemed surprised to find that she has been crying and as she rubbed them frantically away, she realized Kanon was squatting beside her and she squealed immediately.

'KANON-CHAN!'

Such an energetic welcome was befitting of her and Kanon was almost tackled and bowled over by her as she glomped her in a large hug, squeezing her while she laughed happily at that greeting.

Kanon had been worried that she would have to help comfort the little sister, she was inexperienced in handling sensitive things like that and thus she was happy that she was as energetic as ever.

..

..

'What is Kanon-chan doing here?'

'Eh? I am about to ask you the same thing, erm… erm…'

'Elsi! My name is Katsuragi Elsi!'

'Ah~ Elsi-chan~ I'm just passing by here with my manager, she's waiting for me with her car below.'

Gesturing to the bespectacled woman who was looking up at them with concern, she smiled a little before shaking her head when Elsi waved back energetically at her.

'Ah~ I see! Eh… why am I…'

The girl blinked for a moment, seemingly momentarily disoriented by her surroundings and she clasped her favorite idol's hands tightly as she placed her free hand on her forehead, pursing and furrowing her eyebrows as she seemingly tried to recall something.

Something that she has missed out entirely, almost as if…

..

..

'Elsi-chan? You do not mind me calling you that right?'

Smiling down at the girl in worry, the pink-haired idol returned the gesture by squeezing her hand reassuringly as well as she sat down with the girl.

There was obviously something bothering the girl and she wanted to help her. In part due to her being Keima's sister, but another part for the girl's own sake as well.

She could not leave that girl alone by herself, so vulnerable and innocent just as the sun is setting.

Although she has confidence and faith in the general population to not molest this young girl, her inner conscience told her to protect this innocent girl.

In many ways, she seemed much younger than her looks, both in mind as well in body. This girl should not be left alone right now…

..

..

'No of course not, Kanon-chan!'

She perked up immediately and Kanon sighed to herself before holding both her hands and standing up while making an offer of a lifetime to her.

'It's getting late, Elsi-chan. Would you like to accompany me to the studio before I ask my Manager to drive you back home? There aren't exactly any buses running here and the train station is quite far away.'

Smiling her award winning smile at her, she was delighted when Elsi nodded her head and eagerly accepted her proposal.

..

..

After all, part of that contract would enable her to visit Keima's house as well, wouldn't she?

* * *

..

..

'you… know exactly what you did not do…'

Her words did not make any sense and he waited politely and patiently for an explanation. It was somehow more comforting to him that he has Haqua to deal with than any of the girls.

He knew Haqua could really never bring her scythe down to kill him as he and Elsi's life were linked together. They were shared and linked together by fate. If she killed him, she kills Elsi too.

One can applaud Keima for his cool headedness and how he is able to meet eye to eye with a living devil like this without flinching or feeling fear.

'What did I not do, Haqua.'

Instead of being pressed back by the devil, Keima rose to the challenge magnificently. He is the **Capturing God** and a God, there is no way he would be intimidated by a lowly devil.

Raising a hand to grab the bladed weapon, he slowly pushed it from his neck while his eyes furrowed in concentration against the flustered devil, reverting back to her base personality as he demanded answers from him.

Not just about her accusation, but about other things as well, the most important thing right now for him to ask is the same question that Haqua wished to ask him as well.

..

..

'Elsi, what happened to her?'

..

..

An awkward silence followed between the two and to break the deadlock, Haqua dropped her weapon, pulling it away from Keima roughly before lowering her head and flinging it away with all her might.

It was a clue to Keima to what is bugging Keima as well as making it clear that whatever was bugging and irritating Haqua, it was something major from that gesture that she just did.

The scythe was given to her as proof of her being the class Valedictorian and is her pride and joy. It was a symbol of her hard work and effort to be number one. It was something that Elsi and Haqua herself both admired and treasured as it reminds them of their past memories together in school.

For her to throw something that precious away just like that was akin to throwing an important part of her away and the **Capturing God** waited for the outburst that would surely follow.

Surely part of the burden on the girl's shoulders belonged to him for she has 'warned' him a day before. He knew there was something he was doing wrong and it was affecting Elsi.

The only person that could influence and frustrate Haqua so much was that missing girl, Elsi.

..

..

It is a proven fact that Elsi is in fact, Haqua's best friend and although the girl in question was loathe to admit it, that was the ultimate truth in their relationship together. Only with Elsi's strong ties with her had enabled she been able to release Haqua from the control of the weiss that had gotten free due to her negligence.

That shows how much influence Elsi had on Haqua's mental plane as she was able to influence and pull Haqua free from the control of the Weiss, who had taken control of her by feeding on her negative emotions.

Thus, one can say with certainty that Elsi is a special and important part of Haqua's life.

..

..

With that figured out, Katsuragi Keima offered and rested his hand on the sobbing girl's shoulder. She had broken down shortly after throwing that precious item away and Keima had retrieved it wordlessly before kneeling down beside the sobbing devil.

So who said that Devils may cry…

'Haqua…'

In a voice uncharacteristic for him, Keima coaxed the crying girl to tell him the truth and nothing but the truth.

He himself knew that prior to this 'event', he would have tried to solve this dilemma with his own power and by himself.

But right now, he was in the dark… he needed a guide, someone, anyone who knew part of the answer would be indispensable.

Thus his decision to lower himself and to emphasize with the devil in front of him was the most logical one to make.

She and Elsi is undeniable and linked and as the situation with him and Elsi is almost identical, the popular saying: The enemy of my enemy is my friend.

In this case, they had a common ally in Elsi, there was no harm in him humbling himself to help Haqua after all.

'… Elsi… I…'

Inconsolable and unable to phrase her words properly together, Haqua sobbed weakly on her knees despite Keima's offering of help and she even slapped his offered hand away.

..

..

'It's your fault, Keima… e-everything from the start… from the beginning, you are the one who caused this change of events!'

A dramatic pause between the two that caused Haqua to shrink even further away from the shell-shocked Keima. It was inconceivable for the **God's** to be wrong, but from his experience and understanding of the devil in front of him, she would never make a claim like that without proper backing.

'I am the one who caused it?'

'Who else… who else could have caused such a change in everyone?'

Her words pierced him deeply and he found himself trying to find a counter-argument against her accusation.

'You are the only link amongst all the girls, the only one reoccurring factor that has repeated itself too many times to be a coincidence. Every action that you made only seems to make the situation worse… and now… and now, even Elsi she herself has…'

'Elsi, what about Elsi? What happened to her?'

His words came without thinking, even if it is a little hoarse from him disbelieving Haqua's statement.

..

..

'H-how can you call yourself the **Capturing God** if you don't even know what is happening to the girl closest to you, KATSURAGI!'

..

..**  
**

* * *

**Author's Notes: I think it's a bit rushed...**


	24. Estimating their Worth

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 24: Estimating Their Worth**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R! And i should follow the 2nd Season. Also, I finished the manga vol. 10!~ That means i bought it.**

* * *

**..**

..**  
**

'What do you mean…'

He answered coldly to the Demon as she had insulted her title, the **Capturing God**. Many had tried to emulate him and all had failed, he would not want someone who had no idea how hard it is to be who he is to question his skill and ability.

Especially not a tsundere girl like Haqua. Even with her skill and proficiency as a demon, he knew she was woefully behind the times when it comes to relationships, especially the attraction between the opposite gender.

'If you mean Takahara or Kosaka, rest assured I am taking-'

He did not finish as Haqua simply slapped him hard, so hard that he actually staggered a few steps back as Haqua grabbed him again, raising him up despite her petite size and he had to stare and glare at him unhappily, rubbing his bruised face as he did so.

It was fortunate that she had at least had the quick thinking to drive off all potential witnesses to her inhuman strength. That was his only consolation as he adjusted the glasses on the bridge of his nose, his eyes boring holes into Haqua as he demanded an answer to her actions.

'ELSI!'

..

..

'What… about Elsi.'

He took care to not anger her further by removing the anger he felt against her.

'She's hurt, you bastard! Did you even consider her feelings? I.. I had to..'

She dropped Keima as she sobbed weakly, clinging to her scythe for support as she dropped the bombshell on her.

'She, I had to rewrite her memories, Keima!'

That rocked him and he blinked a few times to get it straight, mouthing the words repeatedly to make sense of the obvious. The **Capturing God** was rarely in denial but now he wanted to believe that Haqua was just pulling his leg.

..

..

'You had to… do that?'

But just as quickly as the disbelief appeared in his face, it was replaced with a stern expression as he helped the girl up, pulling her with him towards the direction of his house.

Ordinarily she would be excited and embarrassed at him doing that, it was just unlike him to be so gentle that it was unthinkable and an honor for her.

But right now, she was more concerned over her friend than anything else. She was Elsi, the person who had supported her and saved her once from a Weiss. Her personal and selfish feelings cannot be compared to her best friend and she followed the boy to her house.

His reasons for doing so were clear to her. He wanted to know everything that had happened, every single detail and Haqua felt relieved that he had finally taken this seriously.

He was the only person that can help, that remained the truth even if he was the cause of everything that has happened up till now.

..

..

Reflecting upon this moment in the days to come, the both of them would only sigh and wish that Haqua had realized the truth earlier.

Much, much earlier.

* * *

..

..

'It is only a matter of time, Keima.'

After persuading the girl to wash up, Keima listened attentively as she paced around in his room. Mari had not been pleased to see Keima back with a crying Haqua and had only let him off when Haqua said that it wasn't his fault.

Right now, he was nursing a headache as he tried to imagine what would make Haqua resort to modifying her best friend's memories.

'Wouldn't she realize that her memories were tampered with? It is a brand of magic or curse that you New Demons use… she should be familiar with it.'

Raising a valid question to her, Keima was greeted with a sigh as she sat down on a chair and highlighted Elsi's grades while still in school.

'I would be able to sense some discrepancies, but Elsi, being Elsi… would not notice anything different.'

Then her eyes narrowed as she brought her scythe up and she regarded him with a cold hard voice, not dissimilar to how death threats were issued.

'Do you have any idea how haggard she looked, Keima? She needs your attention, Keima… have you been working her too hard? She almost looked like she wanted to kill herself.'

Then she swung her scythe and made it stop inches from his face. For Keima's credit, he did not even flinch.

..

..

'… I have to apologize.'

He spoke softly and Haqua blinked, the cold and dangerous aura disappearing as he actually apologized to her. For him to ditch his pride twice in a day was unheard of and Haqua felt her anger dissipate again.

'I have not been paying attention to Elsi. You are accurate in your demand for me to pay more ample attention to her.'

It was his turn to pace about and Haqua just watched him as he crossed his arms, his brows furrowed in attention when he stopped and turned to face her wordlessly.'

'However, I have to decline your suggestion to focus on her solely.'

He raised a hand immediately to stop her from lashing out at him and he narrowed his eyes at her, lashing out in anger as well.

'I understand what is at stake, Haqua. The only reason you have not taken my head is that I am spiritually and physically linked to Elsi. That is the sole reason I am still standing here, in one piece. But what I have in stake will not only concern her, but the both of our worlds. It is another problem that I have to solve, yes. But that does not mean, that I have not seen the ending!'

..

..

Pointing a finger at her, Haqua realized that he was still as arrogant as always and she placed her scythe down to listen with effort.

'The girls will eventually notice something is wrong… it is only a matter of time before they started questioning me and Elsi. You are right, we are the only variables that is constant… that means it is someone that we know that caused this incident to happen in the first place.'

He sat down and crossed his arms while looking out the window, seeing a car pull up outside his house and he narrowed his eyes.

'Haqua… something is affecting Elsi. I am not so clueless that I did not notice there are discrepancies in her actions and behavior.'

Haqua did imagine that and she turned away guiltily as she doubted his ability but she was a little scandalized when he continued.

'Elsi… did not have enough faith in me and that is the same for you.'

He looked saddened and upset at this and Haqua looked away even more when he cleared his throat and looked sharply at him.

'I will save all of them, whether it is Elsi or Takahara, Kosaka or Nakagawa… that is my promise to you. The route is difficult, hard and sometimes cruel… but that is how the real world is.'

He walked towards the door when he heard the doorbell ring, announcing the arrival of more guests.

..

..

'You, of all people should know. There is only one heroine… I'm sorry, Haqua. Can you believe in me and give me more time?'

..

..

* * *

..

..

_'I'm sorry for intruding~'_

_Kanon called out cheerfully after Elsi as they stepped into Café Grampa. The café was closed and she looked around a bit, happy that there were no one there to recognize her. _

_This was not what she expected Elsi or Keima to live in, a real life café and she looked around curiously._

_'Ah, welcome but we are closed today~'_

_A cheerful voice called out to her and Kanon paused in her step, only for Elsi to push her forward with a big smile. The girl had enjoyed her time with her in the studio, marveling at how they did their recording for shows and CDs. _

_If she did not know better, she'd imagined that Elsi came from a far away rural village of some sort, seeing her lack of knowledge over the most 'basic' equipment._

_ .._

_..  
_

_But all of that was forgotten when a young woman stepped into view, a beautiful woman with striking features that had her hair curled up at the sides with a small bun at the back of her head._

_She smiled as she saw Elsi and Kanon logically believed her to be Keima and her mother. Common courtesy reminded her to bow to her respectfully as she introduced herself._

_'Ano, I'm sorry for intruding like this. I found Elsi by the stadium and I offered a ride back home. My name is Nakagawa, Nakagawa Kanon.'_

_She really didn't need to do that as Mari gave a fangirl like squeal before staggering a few steps back. Before she could ask Elsi if she was alright, Mari had already recovered, rushing in front of her and staring at her intently._

_She supposed that like Elsi, she could be a fan of hers but that was just wishful thinking on her part. Even if she is the up and coming idol, her fans were mostly boys and girls around the age of 16-24… not 'older' woman like her._

_.._

_..  
_

_'Y-you're… Kanon-chan, desho?'_

_Guess she was wrong about that and Kanon gave her the best smile she could manage while Mari turned to look at Elsi, who was sharing the same burst of excitement from her Mother as the two of them stared starry eyed at her._

_'Yes, I am Nakagawa Kanon…'_

_She was suddenly feeling very conscious of herself, of her own behavior and of her own image. Even if this was in a private home and property, this is still a 'public' café. Her manager had gave her some privacy by staying in the car and keeping a 'lookout' for any paparazzi around._

_Whether or not it was of her own image, Kanon was not so sure… or was it just simply to impress Keima's mother by being just Kanon, the normal high school girl and not Kanon the idol._

_'Please, come in!'_

_Smiling and welcoming her in, Mari shot a look to Elsi and she quickly went to lock the door, ensuring the 'Closed' sign was hung prominently on the door._

_'I didn't know that Kanon-chan was Elsi's friend… but welcome to Café Grandpa. Would you like something to drink?'_

_Just thinking of impressing Mari made her face blush but she was by default an idol, her mannerism would allow for nothing else._

_'Ano… I wouldn't want to impose on you, K-katsuragi-san…'_

* * *

_ .._

_..  
_

Haqua was a little dazed at how, _cool_, Keima had seemed to be when he reassured her that he knew what was going on and to have faith in him as they squatted at the top of the stairs, watching Elsi bring another girl into the house.

There was no other word to describe it, even if Haqua was reviled to actually have to describe him in this way.

The way he looked was different from the normal Keima she knew and a pang of guilt did run through her momentarily when he asked her to trust him.

But how can she put all of her faith in him after he made Elsi suffer like that?

..

..

Just like Keima had suspected, the demon girl had no idea on what is love or the complex relationship between two individuals. She might have a passing infatuation for Keima and at one point, thought it was love.

But true love has elements besides that, it has to be understood between parties. Loving someone means not just considering one's own wishes, but the other party's wishes as well.

Confessing ones love to another person require courage, determination and of course, self sacrifice.

Being a couple means more than just being with the person, it means sharing the other person's life, his cons as well as his pros.

Their world would expand to include not only themselves, but the other party along with her own world, her own beliefs, friends and family.

..

..

She did not understand that Keima knew all of that, understood all of that and deliberately choose this path to test all of the girls. Haqua did not understand that behind that tough and emotionless exterior, Keima did understand the true meaning of love after all?

He is the **Capturing God** and even if he was not proficient nor was he used to wrapping up a story after 'capturing' a girl, he had played through enough games to know the desired outcome, the things the heroes must go through in his 'world'.

But the 'real world' is different from the perfect reality of his 'world'. That is why he had to consider every single detail and every single moment he spent with the girls.

It was true that he was clueless as to why Elsi was behaving this way, he was purposely ignoring the most obvious answer as he was afraid.

He knew that would tip the balance between the three girls that he was now pursuing and if that happened, he was unsure of their reaction.

There can only be two scenarios available if the shit hit the fan, so to speak and neither was realistic.

Truth to be told, he was not optimistic of the 'endings' that he can see right now.

..

..

Takahara, Kosaka and Nakagawa were obviously after his affection, that he can ascertain from the way they tried to isolate him while he probed them for answers.

Like Haqua had mentioned earlier, the only single constant variable was himself and Elsi. The two of them knew or had contact with the girls who had their memories returned to them.

So, who is the one at fault?

Was it him like what Haqua had instituted or… was it Elsi herself?

* * *

..

..

_Mari was in a good mood, to say the least as she had an idol eating with them today. Although Kanon had wanted to deny the offer, saying she had to return home to study, Elsi had chipped in saying that she wouldn't mind helping her with homework as well._

_It had gone down from there and Mari had even invited her manager in for dinner, complaining to Elsi about where was Keima when she needed him._

_But just when she said that, the **Capturing God** made his appearance along with Haqua, who followed him quietly._

_'Ah.'_

_Kanon gave a short cry of surprise at how close they were when Elsi explained that Haqua was her and Keima's close friend and that made the idol blush in surprise._

_Her manager on the other hand, scrutinized the boy closely as if she suspected something. Turning to her manager, Kanon asked her what was wrong when she shook her head and said no._

_'Good evening, Katsuragi-san, Elsi-chan… I think I forgot something so I went up to pick it up from Elsi's room…'_

_Haqua smiled shyly but Kanon was a little unhappy that the girl did not recognize her at all but she still bowed to her politely._

_'Ah, Haqua-chan~ would you be staying for dinner with us then?'_

_.._

_..  
_

_It seems that Keima's mother was as kind as she had hoped and Kanon knew that she would be enjoying her dinner, more so than in any posh restaurant… not to mention how happy she felt when Keima choose to sit beside her, making her heart skip a beat as he passed her the cutleries, accidentally touching her fingers as he did so._

_'I'm sorry…'_

_He whispered softly while her manager shot him a dark look. Now all she had to do was to make sure that she did not chew him out as well._

_'Ittadakimasu!'_

_Hungrily, she tucked into dinner , wondering if she would be welcome to join this happy family in the future, joining in the conversation on mundane, trivial school stuff with a happy smile on her face._

_Leaving her completely oblivious on the thoughtful look on her manger's face as she ate her fill._

_.._

_..  
_

* * *

..

..

The question came out of the blue, something that even Keima did not expect as he finished his meal.

'Is Elsi-chan the same age as Keima?'

In retrospect, he should have sensed something was wrong upon detecting the edge on the woman's voice as she asked abruptly.

'Why yes, they are in the same class in school, desho?'

..

..

Mari answered comfortably but then was surprised when Keima's head jerked back in response, understanding the trap hidden in her question.

'Keima-kun and Elsi-chan don't look like twins… so…'

The trap was sprung and it was too late for Mari to deny anything as the implication of her question struck home in the peaceful household.

'Elsi-chan… who is your father?'

* * *

..

..

**Author's Notes: A major plothole in the manga imo.**


	25. Hanging On

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 25: Hanging on**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: So I screwed up with my poll. Anyway, the poll is now available in the profile! Do me a favor and vote for your favorite story today! R&R too!**

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**..  
**

..

The question shook the household to the core and for Kanon's benefit, she was scandalized, shocked and embarrassed that her manager would want to probe into such a sensitive issue that is none of her business.

Her manager however, was not backing down from that challenge and just stared intently at Katsuragi Mari, who had froze on the spot when asked that forbidden, painful truth.

For those who are not acquainted with the fact, Elsi is the illegitimate daughter of her beloved and she had been trying to avoid that topic when it was raised. It is an embarrassing thing for the family, but they were still related by blood.

Elsi on the other hand, simply froze in position, her chopsticks left hanging as she was about to eat a piece of the vegetables that Mari had cooked.

She knew that it was her fault that a once happy family was broken up and she had tried hard to try and make things easier on Mari to compensate.

..

..

She had felt welcome in the family, Mari is a strong rallying point in the family and she had stated that whatever had happened, the most important thing now is that she is part of her family.

It is something that she did not forget as during that period of time, Keima had not accepted her fully yet, making Mari the lone tower of support in her life in this world.

Having that wound reopened was just as hard for Elsi as for Mari and she felt herself unable to say a word, hoping, praying for someone to come to her defense.

He is **God** after all and for him to come to a rescue for a **devil **like her is unheard of but that was exactly what happened, Keima's hands slammed on the table fiercely with such impact that everyone's attention was riveted to her.

Beside him was Kanon and she was shocked to silence by his outburst as he slowly raised his head and then sighed audibly and sadly.

**'What kind of question is that? Elsi is my sister; that is all that matters.'**

A simple answer for a simple question and although he himself was a little upset at how quickly he had allowed his temper to flare up, he controlled it and fiercely stood up for her sister.

It might be disrespectful, but this was his home, his family and his sister.

..

..

That and the approving look from Haqua seeing how he defended her honor. The look was replicated with Mari as she smiled at Keima before coughing and clearing the awkwardness after his outburst.

..

..

Naturally, he choose not to look at Elsi, perhaps wisely as she was so red in the face he would not be surprised if her hair caught fire from the heat. She only recovered after Haqua nudged her pointedly, telling her to wake up did she realize that Mari was defending her as well.

'Elsi is my daughter… as in regards to your question, I'm afraid I can't answer that… it is complicated, that is all I can reveal to you. Please, do not judge people solely by that…'

Her underlining tone was clear, this conversation will now be dropped and it did not exist. However, the standoff between the two woman was finally resolved when Kanon intervened, tugging at her sleeves and telling her to stop.

The rigid, cold exterior of the manager was dispelled by the Idol and she sighed, adjusting her glasses before nodding and apologizing to Elsi and the rest of the Katsuragi family.

It made one wonder why she raised the question in the first place till one considers what her role was supposed to be.

..

..

She is Kanon's manager and by simply being with her this past few years, had became quite adept in reading her moods and emotions.

She attributed Kanon's success not only to her looks and singing talent, but the pure image that she projected and became her tag line. Being a High School Student and yet an idol is unheard of in the past decade, especially one as 'clean' and driven as Kanon.

She has no scandals, no ties to any celebrities, not known to flaunt her looks or title around. She seemed to have no faults at all, achieving good results in school, enjoying her work, cheerful to a fault and most importantly, hardworking and sincere.

It was all those traits that made her the success story that she is today, close to the fans and yet still managing to distance herself from… undesirable people and hobbies.

..

..

Half a year ago, she had noticed that Kanon's mood seem to waver and although it did not affect her work or motivation, at times she has to wonder as the girl's obsession was regarding a boy from her high school.

But that reached to a climax when Kanon disappeared just before her first concert and later returned with an expression that she had not seen Kanon exhibit before.

It is said that being in love changes someone both externally and internally. It is as if something inside her has just clicked that turned her from a girl to a young woman. She was strangely more confident in herself, carrying herself in a different way and although a little clumsier, the change was for the better.

At times, she wondered if the short brush with depression was just an illusion.

..

..

Until the report about the boy that Kanon had been meeting came back to her and subsequently, Kanon's admission during a Live Interview about a boy he liked during the release of her new Single had made her nervous, despite herself.

Idols are supposed to keep their personal life away from their professional lives and she'd imagine the outburst of the millions of followers when they heard the news.

But she had managed to smooth the uproar relatively easily, due to most of her fans being appeased with her heartwarming appeal. It still makes her a little proud to be managing someone as pure as this girl.

..

..

However, Kanon can never be seen with someone with… issues and she had made sure to conduct background checks on this boy, Katsuragi Keima and on his family.

In the exterior, he does not seem desirable but at the same time, he is not approaching Kanon due to her name and status. In fact, he does not even seem interested in her or any girls in the first place.

His immediate family is more of a concern, his father being constantly overseas and her mother working alone in a small café… but the most crucial point was of his sister, Katsuragi Elsi.

There seemed to be a lack of information on how and when she became part of the family, documents proving her identity were found readily enough through the right sources but the most important one, about her background and birth were suspiciously 'misplaced'.

..

..

That is the reason she allowed Kanon the concession to visit them at their home and to pick up Elsi from the stadium. She wanted to be clear on her facts, regardless of the cost.

Even if it may damage her precious Kanon-chan's chances with the boy.

* * *

..

..

The atmosphere was a wee bit frosty after Kanon's manager breached the topic and Kanon seemed to pick up the hint quite readily, excusing herself and her manager shortly after dinner was done.

To her disappoint, she was unable to score much points with either Keima nor her mother, but she did score massive points with Elsi by signing her copy of her single and albums, not to mention her bringing Elsi back in the first place has endeared the girl to her.

But all in all, she concluded that it was not a wasted effort and a great experience for her to visit Keima's home.

His mother is gentle and kind, just like how she hoped she would be…. Her sister is as warm and accommodating as always and it is a sort of relief to see Keima behaving the same way he does at school, even though she did not know he can be so protective over his sister.

..

..

Furthermore, it has been a while since she ate home-cooked food and she began to appreciate and even miss her own civilian life as she bowed deeply to the Katsuragi Family.

Her manager beside her did the same, a little stiffly as she might be still upset at being snubbed like that, but she was at fault in the first place!

'Thank you for having us over for dinner, Katsuragi-san.'

'Yes, thank you for inviting us.'

The matron and head of the family simply smiled at the two of them and bowed back politely.

'It is our honor to have the two of you with us. I hope our simple fare was acceptable. The two of you are always welcome back to our home any time.'

She flashed a winning smile that Kanon hoped to replicate and saw them out the door, with Keima and Elsi trailing behind them.

..

..

There is one person that has been quite the enigma however and that person is the one who had not appeared to escort the two of them out.

It was the girl that Elsi had called fondly as 'Haqua'. She was no doubt a close friend of the Katsuragis as she had been very comfortable around the house. What was more upsetting for Kanon was the fact that she had came down from the second floor together with Keima.

Was she in a relationship with Keima?

The instant that thought passed by her mind, Kanon felt her chest tightening and she acknowledged it with a grim smile. Nothing less to signal that she really was very fond of Keima…

Jealousy, she would never have expected herself to show jealousy but she definitely felt that emotion when Haqua and Elsi conversed with each other, dragging Keima into the conversation.

Reluctant as he was, he had slowly been drawn into their discussion and seemed to quite enjoy the looks of admiration from Keima and to a lesser extent, Haqua when he dominated the discussion with his knowledge and intellect.

She wanted him to see her that way and only her, not to share that look of vivid attention anywhere else.

..

..

Was she getting possessive after all?

..

..

'Kanon-chan, we should be heading back home now.'

Breaking her out of reverie, she looked towards her manager to see that she was opening the door for her and she squeaked, telling her not to while getting into the car.

Turning, she saw the Katsuragis still waiting for her to leave and she smiled back, waving slowly to them as the car rolled away, happy that they too waved as she left their district.

Now that they are alone, she finally had the chance to confront her manager about what she did earlier. That question was totally unacceptable.

'Before you start asking me questions, Kanon-chan. I have only one thing to say for myself.'

But she beat her to the punch and rendered her silent again with a single statement.

'Katsuragi Elsi, might not be the biological sister of Katsuragi Keima after all.'

..

..

* * *

..

..

'…'

Keima was distinctively uncomfortable with himself, his family and Haqua. The three of them had shot him thankful, grateful and proud glances when he lost control of his emotions and lashed out at a guest to the Katsuragi household.

After a phonecall from his father established the fact that he would be the 'Master' of the house for quite a while, he had been trying hard not to create too much trouble for his mother, especially if he can still continue to play his games like he wished to.

Thus, his lack of control was unacceptable.

As a **God** and as the host of guests, he should not have lashed out against them the way that he did earlier. It was disrespectful and not only rude, it signaled how immature he still is.

However, what was more disturbing was how the rest of his family approved of his outburst.

..

..

Elsi was almost beside herself with joy at being defended like that and he had to control his temper not to lash out at her during dinner as well.

His mother, Mari had seemed extremely proud to have him as a son, another rare occasion that left him trying to make sense of the underlying meaning behind her glances.

But mostly, it was how Haqua had took him away after dinner and thanked him for defending Elsi like that.

..

..

_'I'll trust you a bit longer, Keima. Thank you for defending Elsi-chan… she doesn't have anyone in the Human World to look up to beside you and Mari-san. It is the least you can do for her now.'_

..

..

She had left him with a bittersweet smile, not to mention the dishes and left him totally confused to consider his own motivation and goals for speaking up like that.

After all, everything happens with a reason. Logic and reasoning were his best weapons, letting him work true so many endings, so many games and so many girls just by thinking through it without being influenced by his emotions.

That is why he is known as the **Capturing God**. Letting one's emotions betray one from making the right action is simply a crime.

By simply reflecting and spotting the small subtle clues, one can always decide on the right action to take in any scenario.

He has always believed that acting on impulse or driven by emotions were unbecoming of him and is seldom, if ever the right decision.

But, after hearing that woman insult Elsi, he had lashed out without thinking, his emotions telling him to speak up on behalf of her. Simply put, it was because she was depending on him.

..

..

Did Haqua influence his mental state so much from his encounter with her? He had dismissed it as an 'outside' event, not particularly involved in the current 'plot' and development of things. But really, was she an unwitting partner in this 'story' as well?

Kanon's appearance in his home was surprising, as was the fact that she was trying to score points with his family. But he could classify it under an 'unexpected' event that would trigger eventually when he pushed the right flag.

He had been a little concerned that he had been developing both Ayumi and Chihiro's plot a little too far and it is a relieve to see Kanon back in the spotlight.

Was this 'event' part of the plotline after all?

It made sense in a way…

..

..

Katsuragi Keima, the C**apturing God, **leaned back on the sofa and reflected the one question that was on his mind.

_'Why, why did he get so upset when they questioned Elsi's identity?'_

* * *

_ .._

_..  
_

It had been an odd week for Miyako Terada and it had gotten odder the more she spent time with her best friends, Ayumi, Chihiro and Elsi.

She enjoyed their company as they were interesting, very friendly and of course, her very very very good friends in school.

She herself isn't particularly a very popular girl in school, average in school and slightly better in her grades. So she was quite surprised to have Chihiro ask her to join a band with her.

Although she has been practicing the piano for years, she had never dreamt of joining a band or anything, she simply played because she wanted to.

Another part of the answer was that she admitted that she did not have the talent for playing in the first place, never would she earn a living through it and there was no point in aiming for a dream that was unattainable.

But, as long as she had fun playing the instrument, she was not going to let those negative thoughts get her down after all.

..

..

With Ayumi and company, playing was fun and enjoyable and she enjoyed the antics and interaction between her friends. Still, it is tiring to play the middle and straight person in the group.

Ayumi is energetic, but she is clumsy and may say hurtful or sarcastic words without realizing it.

Chihiro is blunt and unfortunately at the same time had a short fuse.

Elsi, was simply a girl with a lack of common sense with a big heart.

..

..

It was exactly the role that she play that made her feel like everything was worthwhile.

..

..

But that had changed when another person joined the group, Katsuragi Keima.

She does not have a good impression of Keima-kun, but he had surprised her with a much larger range of knowledge and commitment than she had thought him possible of.

Terada too was aware of the subtle hints that told her that all three of her friends had varying degrees of affection and feelings for the boy.

But it had only gotten stronger ever since he joined them as their manager, causing her to feel a little awkward being around them.

Especially when she was getting a little unhappy at how she had unjustly written him off before.

..

..

'… I wish you well.'

She hoped that whatever he did, would not break up the friendship she had with all of the girls in the band. It is a difficult position to be in, made the worst when she knew most of what was happening behind the scenes.

The middleman, is tough to be after all.

..

..

* * *

**Author's Note: I realized that Ayumi and Chihiro had not been making appearances lately. I'll focus on them soon though. However, is Terada gaining popularity as well? That's something I did not expect!**


	26. Routines

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 26: Routines**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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**..  
**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Placeholder. But R&R and vote on my poll! Last week, so make your vote count!**

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**

Life goes on, and to a certain extent, Keima was surprised to experience the daily grind and routines once again. He had enough 'scenes' and 'events' to last him for a while. Not to mention that he had gone behind his gaming as well.

But most importantly, he did not see Takahara Ayumi meeting them while they are heading towards school today.

Elsi for her part, had recovered to her usual overly cheerful smile, this fact along made him smile a little nostalgically. He had paled the moment Haqua described how she had been before she wiped and modified her memories.

There has been no explicit reason given to him for the drastic change and as he is the **Capturing God**, he probably had deduced the reason for her dejectedness accurately.

However, he did not wish to confirm it with either of the devils that he knew, it would be troubling, not to mention embarrassing to say to them and be proven wrong, or right.

..

..

It was a tricky situation. Thus, he is extremely glad that everything has returned to what it used to be and he even took time to enjoy breakfast longer than usual, pleasing both his mother as well as Elsi.

Odd really, how a simple gesture can earn so many points in the 'real world'. It seems that the point scoring system for the 'real world' is unexpected and varying…

..

..

'Elsi-chan! Katsuragi!'

Hearing his name being called, Keima felt a palm hitting his back and he stumbled forwards a few steps at the amount of pressure she placed on him.

'You need more muscle in that body, Katsuragi! How can you carry all of our equipment like that, hmm?'

Grinning from ear to ear, Kosaka Chihiro appeared behind him and high fived Elsi while carrying her bag as well as her guitar behind her.

'Good Morning, Elsi-chan! Are you ready to take on the world again!'

Pumping her fist into the air, Keima noticed that it had became quite a habit with the girl and once again asked himself whether did he release a hidden dragon of potential by 'capturing' her.

Ordinarily he'll shrug off and ignore the sentiment and that though after a bit, but with her having a connection with him, he started to loathe his actions.

After all, an ambitious and dedicated person is hard to deal with, they will put in extra effort no matter what they devoted their time into.

After capturing her, he had seen that in action as she had not wavered at all from her dream of being the lead singer in an all girl band. Even if she is devoid of talent, she makes up for that with sheer determination and effort.

Nothing less would have gotten this girl as far as she did and he sighed inwardly at the energy she had so early in the morning.

..

..

'Yes, Chihiro-chan!'

Elsi wasn't helping by encouraging her and Keima nursed a growing headache as he nodded to the two of them, not hearing what Chihiro had said softly.

'You'll look better with that too…'

* * *

..

..

Of course, he did not sign up for this, this suggestion that Takahara and Terada had came up with just as he was about to 'escape' for lunch.

..

..

'Let's go to the karaoke today!'

It was a statement that more or less condemned his whole afternoon and at the worst case scenario, taking over the evening or night as well. Much to his horror Elsi had invited Haqua along as well, something that the girls accepted readily, with a price-tag involved.

And that is, that Keima would sing with them as well, instead of just playing his games in one corner.

..

..

Seemingly reading his mind, although that's not a hard thing with his track record, Ayumi pulled on Keima's collar as they walked as a group towards the roof. Their group had became quite notorious among the school, it wasn't everyday that the Otamegane associated himself with anyone and for him to be the manager of a Girlband, there were more than one curious onlooker whispering about them as they walked passed.

If anything, it was good publicity as Keima had explained to them during one of their breaks.

..

..

_'Any attention towards the group is better than no attention at all. It is called Marketing… one's brand. Our job is to ensure that any negative perceptions of our group are changed to, positive perceptions.'_

_He said that with a flourish, as if explaining to a group of children. Naturally there were repercussions for him in trying to do that and he was immediately chastised by Terada, ever the straight person in the group as she narrowed her eyes and replied in a bored tone._

_'We're not three year olds.'_

_There was a pause and Ayumi nodded indignantly._

_'Yes, we are not. You can't just impress us with that talk you know, Katsuragi-kun. Of course I know what Marketing means. It's like shopping, right?'_

_A longer pause and Terada simply gave a long suffering sigh at Ayumi, who blinked in confusion._

_'What?'_

_'Not helping, Ayumi-chan… Ayumi aside… The cause of the problem is you, Katsuragi-kun.'_

_'…'_

..

..

_For his benefit, he actually looked embarrassed for a moment while Terada nodded her head, frowning and rubbing her chin, even as Chihiro agreed with her._

_'She's right you know, Katsuragi. You're the one giving us a bad image… not us. We're the perfect team!'_

_She grinned and frowned unhappily when both Terada and Keima sighed at the same time._

_'Well, we just have to make the school understand Kami-Onii-sama more, right?'_

_A simple suggestion from Elsi had spelt his doom as all four of them had exclaimed: 'YES!' at the exact same moment._

_ .._

_..  
_

* * *

_ .._

_..  
_

'Stop pulling the long face, Katsuragi!'

Chihiro spoke loudly as she feasted on the bento that Elsi and surprisingly, Ayumi had prepared for all of them to try and sample today.

Everyone was in a good mood as they had managed to make Keima come with them for the second time despite his resistance. He even seemed more willing to, the moment Elsi said that they'll let him play his games in peace if he just had lunch with them.

But having lunch with them meant speaking with them too, right?

Ayumi seemed pleased at him saying the food is good, even though she knew in her heart it was just for the sake of courtesy, she felt her heart skip a beat when he looked at her and said that.

Miyako had been strangely silent, but when Chihiro looked closely, she was actually looking at the research that Keima had given her. It made her feel guilty and wished that she had brought her portion here too.

..

Just a little anyway as even Miyako started joining the conversation when they talked about their plans to go to the karaoke after practice. It was going to be great! A time where she can really cut loose after all of that boring practice.

Not that she didn't enjoy the private training sessions where Katsuragi helped her with her vocals… that was a totally different issue altogether!

'Hey hey, how about we go shopping after that too! There's this CD that I want to get that's coming out today!'

'I need to do some shopping too, Ohka-sama wanted me to get some groceries…'

'That's okay! We'll go with you, Katsuragi has to come too, he'll carry the stuff!'

It was then when Keima interrupted all of them and cutting them off in an angry voice.

'I never agreed to this. All of you said that the Karaoke session was to reward all of you for the progress you made. I agreed to it, but this is no time to be complacent.'

..

..

All of the girls looked at each other and sighed, shrugging their shoulders and spoke an obviously orchestrated series of lines, much to Keima's disgust and disbelief.

..

..

'Well, it's really too bad that you won't come with us.'

'Yes, we know that your mother really needed those groceries.'

'She really, really needs them!'

'Mm mm! So if Katsuragi-kun won't help Elsi carry those groceries, she can't manage them by herself, desho?'

'MMmm! It's too heavy for me, Kami-Onii-sama!'

'We'll have to help Elsi carry them home then~"

..

..

He froze immediately and turned back to them, putting his PFP down as he lowered his voice to what he hoped was a threatening tone.

'… is that a threat?'

'No~ Just a fact! Mari-san has invited me to dinner today too~ She said she'll prepare lots!'

'Perhaps enough to invite all of us too?'

'Mm mm! Ohka-sama really likes cooking, she cooks too much all the time~'

'I like cooking too, Elsi-chan! Perhaps we can swap recipes!'

'Mari-san is really a cool mum! She treated me to dinner once! She's a really nice person!'

'I really want to meet her!'

The conversation was getting into dangerous territory and Keima threw up his hands in surrender.

..

..

'Alright, I'll accompany all of you on your shopping trip. Happy?'

The beams he received from the girls was enough to put him off the PFP that Elsi swiftly passed him. Almost that is.

* * *

..

..

Taking time to wait for Elsi, Keima played his game wordlessly as Elsi finished cleaning and packing up the bento boxes that she had prepared.

She had been a little surprised that Ayumi had prepared such a sumptuous lunch as well but she had taken that surprisingly well when Keima had praised her cooking skills once again.

In the end it made her feel a confused as well. She had absolute confidence in her culinary skills and cleaning skills prior and during her stay here in the Human world. But she had never been praised for one of them, besides the curse that she had set on Tsukiyo, which her Kami-onii-sama had claimed was called 'curry'.

But she had poured all her love into the food and she had hoped that Keima would enjoy it, only for him to run from it every day instead, much to her dismay.

She would have gotten demoralized and upset, but she was renowned for her endless optimism and continued to try harder despite the setbacks.

..

..

But it had all changed the moment Haqua had taught her to prepare some… more exotic fare with materials that she had never seen before. She had never imagined eggs to be so small, or sugar to come in packets at all!

However, results were results and one cannot deny the success that she had achieved by simply changing the ingredients of her recipes.

It made her feel so happy and delighted after simply seeing Keima eating her food and praising her.

As Ohka-sama had said before, the way to earn a man's heart was through his stomach.

..

..

Somehow, that made her feel even more embarrassed than usual as Keima looked up from his game and stared at her.

'Ano… K-Kami-onii-sama….'

She felt her heart beat faster and the blood rushing to her cheeks almost immediately. One way to describe it was to say that it felt like her cheeks was on fire, burning even more ferociously as he continued to look at her, oblivious to her discomfort and awkward joy at the unexpected attention.

'You have something on your face…'

He sighed and reached forward, picking a piece of rice from her face and then popping it into his mouth nonchalantly.

That gesture was enough for her to feel faint for reasons not known to her… unfortunately; another remark from Keima promptly dismissed that thought and emotion as quickly as dousing a fire with water.

'… Elsi… you should probably head to the infirmary… you might be developing a fever.'

It was not that line that made her feel more awkward and strangely upset, it was the other line as he picked up the basket that an hour ago, held all the food that she prepared.

'I especially hope that a clique 'scenario' like that would not develop at all…'

..

..

He left after that, leaving Elsi to wonder at why her heart felt like it was stabbed deeply by his words. It was… all so confusing for her, especially since she suddenly felt that something was amiss.

That something important and precious had been taken away from her without her knowing.

* * *

..

..

'What… is this… Katsuragi…'

Dropping all pretense of being polite around him, or addressing him as their manager for that matter, Chihiro did not hide her disgust at the stack of papers that Keima had dropped in front of all of them.

The girls all swore privately that Keima seemed strangely amused at their reaction and they knew that was payback for dragging him to lunch as well as the karaoke and shopping trip later.

'Research, as well as practice notes.'

He pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose once again before distributing the notes to the girls, all of them taking them unhappily and flipping through them.

Before they could get another chance to speak, Keima briskly started writing on the whiteboard, below the _[S.S.S]_ that Keima had described before.

..

..

When he turned back to face them, he had his lecture face on and Elsi instinctively sighed once again. It was odd really, how all the girls seemed to be able to accept Keima being part of their group now.

It had been unthinkable just a week ago, Keima being seen with a gaggle of girls, being accepted by them and having them listen and to acknowledge his skills in certain… more specialized topics.

His tutoring for the previous tests notwithstanding, it was difficult for anyone to imagine the Otamegane to be a genius, but a genius he is… a fact mostly unacknowledged by the people around him due to his bad reputation.

Once anyone ignores the biasness that had black-listed him, so to speak, he will be an asset in every organization, team or group that he joins.

..

..

A side effect of his continued hard work and dedication to the girls resulted in all of them accepting and warming up to him almost immediately since his inclusion to the group.

Without noticing, all of them had become accustomed to being together with him, seen with him and comfortable with him. Elsi aside, all of them were showing their true self, whether they realized it or not.

In front of a stranger, or to a person which they like or feel attracted to, the majority of people would want to create a positive image.

The difference between each individual is their own perception of what would be the 'positive image', that is given as each individual has their own opinion of what might be good and what might be bad after all.

Hence, first impressions hardly showcase what an individual will be, this fact is especially true if it is in a one-on-one situation.

However, a person's true self would appear more often if the encounter was to take place in a group. One can never keep the façade of that 'positive image' up flawlessly after all and one is bound to slip up once or twice, letting an observer see the person's true self.

..

..

Thankfully, all of the girls are so comfortable with him that even with him around, they were indeed who they really are.

It is something that Keima found to be a double edged sword, it meant that he has officially been welcomed into the group, having his feet stuck in the growing quagmire of his own making.

Either way, it would mean that he would have to deal with this situation when it develops, one way at a time, using his status as a **God** to gain the advantage.

Struggle as they might, they will not get what they want as long as he had a breath in him!

'Study hard… this is the data I accumulated on your competition.'

However, what they did not expect is that the first name on the list was actually _Nakagawa Kanon_.

The stakes have been raised higher than ever before…

..

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: I'm not surprised Azalea Side... is actually more popular.**


	27. Image

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 27: Image**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Note: POKEMON TOURNEY! Oh right, Poll will be closed. And well, I'll make my call at the end of the week =) Thank you voting!**

* * *

..

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The girls were stunned for a moment, unsure what to say as they digested the fact that Keima considered or worse yet, determined that Kanon, Nakagawa Kanon, the most popular idol in Japan was competition.

They, the _2B Pencils_ have not even performed in front of anyone yet and he wanted them to compete against Nakagaway Kanon?

Varying degrees of similar thoughts went through their mind and all of them jumped when Keima slammed an open palm on the blackboard, asking if they were any questions.

His gaze, sharp and piercing killed off any attempts at jokingly waving it away and all of them swallowed nervously. This is a new side of Keima and they realized that it was very similar to how he behaved normally in school.

He used words as weapons, everything he says were said with a thinly veiled attempt to 'attack' any detractors. But in this case, all this intensity and focus was directed at them, challenging, waiting for any comments from all of them.

..

..

It scared them. Honestly in the bottom of their hearts, Elsi, Chihiro, Ayumi and Terada were afraid and apprehensively glad about this development.

They were scared as they had never seen him so serious and focused before, for him to pay so much emphasis and thought into one person was… unheard of. It was like he disliked Nakagawa Kanon or maybe, very concerned about the two of them.

The latter is much preferably of course…

They were glad about this development as it shows how much he is willing to go for them, for them, they logically reasoned, he would be willing to challenge an established Idol straight on.

..

..

But a nagging feeling behind the sharper ones, especially Terada and Chihiro is the growing fear that this development only happened due to what happened previously the other day.

That Nakagawa Kanon, actually asked for Keima in person.

If the tabloids got hold of that, numerous stories would be flying through the rumor-mill right about now.

It was worsened when just recently, Kanon had just declared that yes, she has a person that she liked in a Live Interview.

It had sent shockwaves through the throngs of Kanon-supporters as well as setting tongues wagging almost immediately after her declaration.

..

..

All in all, it was a confusing and mixed moment for both Keima and the girls.

* * *

.

..

For the **Capturing God, **everything is a calculated risk and he swore to himself that he had been unable to come up with a better explanation when he met with Kanon.

As it is, it is a good opportunity to let them know his determination and for him to gauge theirs as well. If they do not have the fire or passion to up their standards, it would be prudent for him to drop out of their little 'bonding' session now.

But he found his eyes hovering over those girls repeatedly as they just looked at him in shock, then breaking out in a series of whispers and mumbles amongst themselves, surely discussing about this bombshell that had been dropped on them so abruptly.

Was he growing an attachment to them?

It was an impossible scenario, but one that he has to embrace slightly, if only to make sure he does not fall into any pitfalls.

He knows that there is a slight possibility that the girl's plot development would continue on, regardless of his presence in the band. As the **Capturing God**, he no doubt unwillingly successfully penetrated deep into their heart once again.

It is something that he was not particularly happy about, but it is something that was out of his power to change.

Brushing his concern away, Katsuragi Keima mumbled about leaving the room and letting himself cool down when he was stopped by all of the girls in one voice.

..

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'STOP!'

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..

It took lots of self control for him not to turn back immediately but he did just that, taking time to simply turn his head around in the coolest fashion that he can manage.

'We'll do it…'

'Yeah, Kanon-chan is good.. but… we'll try to be as good!'

'No, that's not right Chihiro-chan~'

The supporter and the surprisingly strategist, Takahara Ayumi pumped her fists up once again as she pointed a finger threateningly at the picture of Kanon on the first page of the documents.

'We'll be even better. Katsuragi-kun will let us do that, right?'

Throwing the ball into his court once again, Keima could not suppress a sigh as he pushed back his hair and smiled confidently. If these Lost Lambs wanted his help, there is no real reason to deny them the assistance that they crave.

..

..

'Of course. Be flattered, a **God** is helping you… you will definitely outshine her that day.'

It is a promise that he was not sure he can deliver. Kanon's… charm and might on stage cannot be compared to. But maybe, just maybe if they put in all of their combined feelings… they could, for a moment, outshine the Rising Star in the Pop Industry.

Turning the impossible to the possible, it falls onto his shoulders now and Katsuragi Keima rubbed his hands together as he stalked back to the whiteboard for another lecture.

'Listen up, 2B Pencils… you have 11 days to prepare yourself for the First Stage… Are you ready to push yourself to the limits, to challenge what you felt was impossible… and to bring the true song of your heart out?'

Before they could even reply, he knew their answers as their eyes were fixated upon him, a mixture of longing, desire and most importantly, hunger for success.

It is the look that he wanted to see, Success does not come just from talent and from being a genius. It must be earned, wrought to one by sheer hard work.

'Then let's begin! Once more from the beginning, begin!'

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* * *

..

..

To say it is a grueling session was an understatement, the girls were left gasping for breath after Keima ran through several different sheets of music, all increasing in difficulty from the practices that Keima had them do the day before.

They would say that it's punishment for forcing him to accompany them to the karaoke and the trip once again, but they were silenced when Keima interrupted their playing every few seconds to suggest a change in how they played, telling them pointers on how to hold and control their breathing, even how they sat down and arranged themselves were criticized.

..

..

At first they were indignant at his blunt and precise commands, almost as if they were ordering him. But they paused in their comebacks, biting them back when they remembered that he has never been wrong so far.

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_'Girls should dress and present themselves appropriately. Your image is more important than your life!'_

_.._

_..  
_

That was his claim and after taking a few shots of them in their now formation, the girls honestly could not tell the subtle difference at all.

Of course, that made Keima blink and then narrow his eyes.

'If that is the case… let me illustrate!'

His eyes blazing with indignation, Keima barked out commands as the girls shifted position and even how they held their instruments before he took another shot, blew it up on a projector.

'BEHOLD!'

That was his last words before the girls all stood up and rebelled against him for making them pose in that fashion.

It was no doubt, a way to promote all of them… in a less than pleasant fashion. Sex sells of course and all of the girls, okay, almost all of them were quite popular in school.

..

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'Now do you get it?'

Rising from the wreck of the rebellion that has earned him a few unhappy slaps in the face, various threats of abuse and punishment from the girls, Keima recovered surprisingly quickly and rebounded back to his position.

'Grace, innocence and youth! Those three are the key that you have to remember by heart. Your image must reflect that, from your mannerism, to your playing style and even to how you speak, sit and eat! Everything!'

But then he coughed and admitted that he was probably over-exaggerating and the girls gave a sigh of relief at that. It would not do if Keima started controlling whatever they did from now on.

'But remember, a slight slip up in stage and it is all over. Once you are on the stage, there is no going back. Your first impression will either open or close doors for your future. From the start once more, begin!'

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* * *

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_Takahara Ayumi did not know what to expect when she joined the 2-B pencils at the invitation of Chihiro, one of her best friends. She thought that playing in an all-girl band would be a breeze for her and she had found it even so after somehow managing to balance her practice of running the trek-&-field team along with practices with the band._

_Well, her grades were never good in the first place and they had improved somewhat by studying and cramming together with tests after practices._

_But even with her enhanced stamina as an athletic used to running 5-6 rounds around a track, the pace that Keima was putting them through was quite close to a full blown practice session._

_She was left gasping for breath, her hands trembling with pain at having replayed the same song till it was perfect under the careful eye of Keima._

_She would have argued, no, she was sure that the other girls in the group would have begged, told and shouted for a break from this merciless practice session._

_.._

_..  
_

_But no one had, and thankfully, she did not even felt that way either._

_It was odd really, how she felt that her place in this band was equally important, if more important than her place in her team. But it was even odder how everyone could have the willpower to persevere for so long till Katsuragi-kun called for a break._

_All four of them had dropped to their knees in relief and pried their aching hands from their instruments, Terada the only one wincing only **slightly **after the bruising work out before lying on the floor in a circle to get some well deserved rest._

_But there was no complaints, not even a peep from all of them when Keima left to get some refreshments._

_.._

_..  
_

_The critic and the most vocal of the group, Chihiro-chan was not complaining, in fact she had seemed more focused than ever after his berating of how she had played wrongly in the exact segment twice._

_Even with the lack of the usual happy atmosphere, it was replaced instead with a lasting fatigue that made even the air heavy, Ayumi knew that everyone was satisfied and frustrated with their progress._

_She had been happy the day that Katsuragi-kun had told her that she did a good job and even praised her for her strengths. Of course he had been just as quick to point out the flaws and how she can get better._

_Everyone of them had gone through the same treatment and in a way, it was good. There were no favoritism amongst them._

..

..

_Even if Elsi was his sister, she was still berated endlessly about her mistakes._

_Even if she could sing well, she would still have her faults in playing pointed out to her._

_Even if Chihiro is the leader of the group, that does not mean she is spared any courtesy either if she makes a mistake._

_Even if Terada is the best player, she will get an earful if she seemed satisfied with what she had achieved._

_.._

_..  
_

_In short, Katsuragi-kun was quick with the praises but just as brutal with his comments as well. She knew that he preferred life to be fair, for everyone to advance together. But that is impossible, everyone has their own inner talent and learning curve._

_Some, like Terada who had prior knowledge and training would progress quickly with his guidance._

_Some like Elsi, who had nothing in her favor, would progress slowly._

_Others, like her and Chihiro, would progress in a moderate fashion._

_In the midst of this chaos of learning and teaching, he still could find time and consideration to maintain the peace in the group by ensuring no one was favored over the others._

_.._

_..  
_

_She blushed as she ran those thoughts through her head. Ayumi is no academic genius, her grades barely allowed her to pass each grade of school that she attended._

_ But she has experience many nasty things during her stay in the Sports Club of her choice. Favoritism, back-stabbing and of many other despicable incidents that one would not really expect of a High-School club had made Ayumi feel a little saddened at the lack of Sportsmanship, especially amongst the Senior members of the team._

_She had been a victim of that too, till Keima had helped her overcame her fear of going against her seniors. If she had talent, why would she not want to use it? Why should she be afraid of what others think?_

_.._

_..  
_

_But she knew that not everyone was as fair and kind as her. There are people who would use and exploit that little advantage that she was given by her Instructor._

_Keima too, knew that and made sure that they were no favorites in the group to continue to maintain the trust and bond within the four of them._

_It was one of the **S** that he had elaborate to them, Sisterhood._

_They were in this together, from the start and they will see through it to the end._

_.._

_..  
_

_Raising a tired and shaking hand to stretch it towards the middle of the circle, Ayumi spoke out clearly to the other three, who looked up in surprise at her actions._

_'We'll definitely play at the Mai-High Fest. All of us and Kanon-chan… we'll rock the house down.'_

_She smiled brightly and her faith in herself, her group and Keima strengthened when all of them nodded and joined hands together._

_'All for one.'_

_'And one for all.'_

_'we're the 2-B pencils!'_

_.._

_..  
_

_'And that is all.'_

_Muttering to himself, Katsuragi-kun appeared as if on cue and passed cold drinks to all of them, ignoring how flushed Ayumi was when she took her share._

_'Thank you… Katsuragi-kun. For everything.'_

_She muttered softly to him as she turned away, hiding her face as she swallowed the cooling liquid, helping to keep her temperature down._

* * *

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_

Of course Ayumi had mostly guessed what Keima's intentions were and although he is unaware of that fact, he could tell that his little 'test' had worked.

All of them seemed none the worst for the wear, their determination still present. As the saying goes, an army is only as strong as it's weakest member.

If one of the band members had given up midway during the practice that they had gone through, it would mean that he no longer had any need to spend time with the 2B Pencils.

But they had prevailed, all united… or perhaps fearful of the reaction if one of them were to give up.

Still, in hindsight if the girls did not have that minimal amount of talent and desire to express themselves to him and the world, they would not have gone so far.

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..

He would never admit to them, but this particular practice session should be left at the end, nearing their performance but he decided to push it up along his schedule to make up for lost time.

Their enemy is now Kanon, not the other musical groups that wanted to perform at the Mai-High Fest. If one wants to be better, one would need to aim for the biggest obstacle that is in front of you to achieve the most result in the least time.

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'Good job.'

He said softly and he resisted the urge to sigh at how his words affected the atmosphere in the room. It was like he had given all of them a gift before he continued.

'Take 5, we'll continue after the break. If there is anything you wish to ask me, please go ahead. If not, I'll be making some preparations.'

Time to take it to another level!

* * *

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**Author's Note: Slow Development is slow. But character development is important!**


	28. Singing Down the House

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 28: Singing down the House**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Note: Please, R&R and of course, Take the Poll! Vote for your favorite Idol! I mean Heroine...**

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The girls really had no idea what Keima was planning, but then really, they could not stop him if they wanted to. He has those girls inside his grasp, following his lead and doing probably anything he wanted them to if he could justify it.

He is a magician of words, there is nothing that he cannot beautify, or at least he reckoned and hope he would be able to as he surprised them with his next act of publicity.

Now this, was his revenge for the girls in forcing him to accompany him to the shopping trip and not letting them game.

If they wanted to karaoke, he'll let them karaoke to their heart's content.

..

..

Of course, the girls did not realized it when he produced the same setup he usually does, the mic stands being a little more closer to them then she realized and of course, the lack of lighting and of audience dummies that he state would help them get used to playing in front of crowds.

Indeed, the girls were a little better performing under his close scrutiny, but they would rather die than allow themselves to realize that they were in fact getting more used to Keima staring at them instead of the audiences.

His careful and sharp eyes was what that was making them jump, their pulse racing and of course, them being extremely conscious of themselves.

It worked both ways, they were generally too nervous to screw up, always playing slower than what the actual score demanded and as it is a Groupthink situation, they did it together unconsciously.

It did help as they performed almost perfectly to a fault, but they were still lacking that connection between their feelings and their performance.

..

..

That is why Keima forced them to practice this hard, the more tired the person is, the less mental capacity they can waste on… irrelevant things, like being conscious of him.

They played better, their strokes and their real raw emotions flowed through their music the more tired they get.

It is paradoxical, but somehow it worked.

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..

'Let us perform this song.'

Selecting one song that they were particular good at, a personal favorite of Chihiro and Ayumi being the core reason, Keima clapped his hands together as the girls dragged their protesting body into position while Keima handed them a bottle of water each again.

'We will do this from the start till the end, a full rehearsal. There will be no stopping, pausing or any corrections from me. Treat it as your debut.'

He muttered softly that it will be their debut, a devious grin forming on his face as he turned away from the puzzled girls who shrugged at each other in confusion.

Keima is a natural showman, he has the looks and the eloquent tongue and flair to be the center of the party, if he wishes of course and when he wants to use that charm, he will be able to grab the attention of anyone.

..

..

Especially so since he started 'announcing' the debut of the 2-B Pencils to an invisible audience, telling them about why they started the band in the first place: 'We are the vocalists of our lives, we wish to let everyone know the lead songs in our lives!'

It was directly quoted from Chihiro's reason for forming the band in the first place and the girls all gave the poor lead a teasing look as they straightened themselves up to perform.

They could see that Keima was a tad more serious than usual and they prepared themselves, both mentally and physically for a perfect run for him.

The tension flowed from their bodies the moment that Terada started the band going, leading the song first while Chihiro waited for the other girls to start playing the melody, her fingers strumming the harmony before she too started singing.

..

..

Without turning back, Keima knew that the girls were probably performing at their best, their emotions and thoughts flowing into their song, into their performance.

He had taken pains and effort to force them, educate them on how to play music the right and the right way. To not cut corners, to practice whole heartedly and it shows.

It really shows as they performed as a team, not as an individual for their own sakes. But for all of them as a whole, it was no longer several different voices being forced together or a random number of instruments playing a single score.

They were one, singing and playing as a whole… even if their emotions were not fully expressed through their playing yet, they were getting there and will get there with his guidance.

..

* * *

..

..

Unknown to all of them, Keima had indeed made this their debut. It was not premeditated by him nor was it within his field of divination. But he decided that they should be ready to take on this burden, and of course he wanted to surprise them, to bolster their confidence ahead of the rehearsal soon next week.

Not to mention that the publicity generated would make their act the most anticipated amongst the students. Even if they were not the judges, if their performance went well and they impressed, popular opinion would sway the judges opinion in their favor.

Even if they claim to be impartial in their decision, judging by the criteria of the various performances by their Merits and skills, judges are human after all… it never hurts to give them every available edge there is possible.

..

..

Thankfully, his bet paid off and they played beautifully, one of their best performances up to date and he nodded in satisfaction to the girls, noting that made some of them stumble slightly.

Even so, they recovered quickly and easily, pleasing him and showing that they have certainly gained more control of both their playing and their emotions. All of them had their game faces on, the expression that he wanted to see them show to the audience.

That they are having fun, that playing for the audience, for themselves was at the same best time of their lives.

Keima smiled when he realized that they were not faking their expressions like actresses and actors do sometimes, they were truly enjoying themselves playing together as a group.

It does not matter whether there is an audience or no one in front of them, the 2-B Pencils will play on by themselves, playing the songs they like and wish to express with their hearts.

For a moment he was mesmerized by their music, the same way that Kanon mesmerized him when she performed in her first ever concert, showcasing her talent and status as a real Idol.

..

..

For a moment at least, but that was sufficient. Even if they were only able to replicate 1% of Kanon's prowess, her talent and her skill in performing, singing and playing… that is sufficient.

It was a remarkable improvement for the same group of girls who were just a few weeks ago, unable to hold a proper melody or chorus together.

At the rate they were going, perhaps… just perhaps they could give Kanon a run for her money and judging from the way he saw the throngs of students looking around in search of where the music was coming from... (Keima had rigged it so that it broadcasted from the OA system, with permission from one of the teachers of course)

He was not the only one that was impressed by their performance, everyone seems to find it pleasing to the ear and from their varied expression of confusion and searching; he knew the bait was effective.

The **Capturing God** has made and shown his first move to Kanon, it is his answer to her question as well as being the Girl's reply to her unspoken challenge.

They will do everything in their power, make any sacrifice to face and challenge her on her own turf.

..

..

Their womanly instincts and pride would allow no less, they would not give up Keima without a fight.

* * *

..

..

'WWHAAAT!'

The cry of disbelief from the girls as well as their facial expression made all the effort worth it and although the girls were reeling from the shock, he congratulated them on their debut, praising them as well as telling them which areas to improve on.

'All of you did well, exceedingly well in fact for your debut. Now, if I had informed you before hand on my plans… I am sure that you will not perform as well as you did then.'

He was still skeptical of their ability to perform on a real stage, in front of a real live audience. He was certain that Terada and Ayumi, who performed in front of pressure due to their various training and disciplines would be unfazed.

But he could not say the same for Chihiro or Elsi and he could not risk them falling to stage fright on a crucial day.

From the way Chihiro and Elsi turned pale with a tint of green on their faces, he was glad he kept them in the dark.

'But Katsuragi-kun, that is still a little mean of you. I mean, if we knew we'll have performed better!'

Terada challenged him, this much he had expected but from the way the other girls looked at each other uncertainly, he knew that she knew the answer even without him answering her.

..

..

'But one cannot doubt your results, you will understand tomorrow… you are now Stars, small in comparison to the Real Girl Bands that populate the Pop charts, but stars nonetheless in the small world that belongs to Mai-High.

They now know the existence of the 2-B Pencils, know what they are capable of and what they can expect from you.'

.

..

He continued his inspiring speech, trying to rouse and guide them away from the uncertainty of the moment, where they are certainly lacking the confidence they are displaying a few minutes ago.

'Is this not your dream? To be heard, recognized and to play on a stage you can call your own? Now is the chance, this is the opportunity… grasp the dream that you have now taken your first step to.'

He was gratified that his words were having an effect as they seemed to recover some of their normal composure. Even so, he was surprised when Chihiro spoke up, coughing to get his attention and he turned to address her.

* * *

..

..

_For herself, personally, Chihiro did not know what to make of Keima's reveal and of course their live performance. In a sense she was offended by Keima's lack of trust in their ability, but at the same time was flattered at his apparent leap of faith in letting them perform to the school in such a short time and such short notice._

_She did not fail to notice how Keima had seemed a little distracted during their normal practices, looking at some of his notes repeatedly as if to reassure himself that he was doing the right thing._

_Having worked with and under Keima for a few days, it is obvious that Keima prefers logic and method over anything else. There is an underlying reason for every action that he does or plan and although she could gauge and figure out some reasons for letting them perform in such a fashion, she was sure there are other hidden meanings that she did not know about._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_Still, immediately after his speech, Chihiro immediately felt better and psyched up from his words of praise. It frustrated her that she can be so easily soothed and 'tamed' by him, but now was not the time for such thoughts._

_She is the leader of the group, the person in charge of not only the atmosphere but the morale surrounding and influencing the group as well._

_'First of all, we have to address some issues, Katsuragi.'_

_But she was not letting Keima off the hook that easily and in retrospect she herself has rubbed off him somewhat, challenging him slowly and probing for the right questions to catch him off guard._

_In a certain extent, all of the girls have gained that trait as well, being more sharp and distinct when pressured or placed under the spotlight by Keima._

_No longer where they lashing out randomly, saying just about anything to justify their reasons and defending themselves. Instead they would take their time, controlling both their emotions and composure to negotiate, to work out the best answer for themselves as well as for the other party._

_It is the exact same method Keima had used to win many various arguments against the girls and how he had 'reined in' the girls to follow his instructions faithfully without questioning him._

_It is like he has 'armed' those girls, watched them grow and mature in only a matter of days and he should be afraid._

_Dogs might not bite the hand that feeds it. But girls have been described as cats, and cats are notoriously fickle and unpredictable… who knew what they can do with this weapon in their hands…_

_.._

_ ..  
_

_Even though the a big bulk of the reason why he had gotten away scot free despite his piercing and inconsiderate demands of the girls was the feelings that they harbored for him, that small precious feeling might change in a heartbeat._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_But when cornered and being 'oppressed' does not suit well to people like Chihiro and Ayumi, whose personalities hate being ordered and directed by others._

_Where Ayumi does have the initiative and the spunk to speak up for herself, she has mellowed tremendously ever since Keima coolly pointed out the gaping holes in her arguments, rebutting her every word and silencing her._

_He wasn't mean about it, as far as Chihiro had seen of the conversation between the two, indeed Keima had apologized and explained why he had treated her so bluntly before._

_It might be her imagining it, but Ayumi had been strangely distracted after that conversation, being unable to focus on the most simplest of thing, staring into nowhere constantly when by herself._

_She was more subdued and although as confident of her own abilities as always, now spent time thinking and musing before actually speaking her opinion, especially if it benefits herself and the band in an obvious fashion._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_But not so Chihiro, the girl who had downed the **Capturing God** once. She was unlike Ayumi in that she does not act just with her emotions (Ayumi act on the impulse of things, hence her downfall), in fact her emotions made her arguments and retorts stronger, fuelling her argument as she coldly pointed out the facts that goes against her expectations._

_Not to mention that even prior to this development, she was used to verbally sparring with Keima._

_It can be considered a kind of skill to her, a +5 when dealing with Keima in fact._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_Watching him raise an eyebrow at her challenge, she nonetheless was pleased when he gave her the opportunity to speak up. It is time for the girls to voice their opinions and let it rip!_

_.._

_ ..  
_

_'Issues, Kosaka?'_

_'Yes, I'm speaking on behalf of everyone in this room. This is clearly a breach of trust… if you are indeed our manager, I would wish for more clarity, more trust between us and you, Katsuragi. Even though we admit that what you are doing is beneficial to us and our success in the Mai-High Festival.'_

_She took a deep breath, her words were a little… deep and totally unlike her, she was rubbing off Keima after all._

_'Tell us what you are planning, Katsuragi. We deserve that much… if you like to keep to yourself in your free time, that is your choice and your freedom. You said that we have to be sisters to succeed… but if you don't trust us… how can we trust you…'_

_Her voice got more subdued as she tried to explain what she meant to the boy in front of her, who now knew her intentions. But there was no escape route, she has surprised him with this development indeed._

_'Katsuragi, please trust us… so we can trust you too. That's all that we ask for, no more secrets, no more planning behind our backs. Please.'_

_Saying please was a big concession for her and she hoped that the boy would back down just a little, swallow his pride and accept her offer as well._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_What would the Capturing God do in this scenario? Will this develop into a cheesy drama serial now?_

_Will the Fluff be so much that the Author contact diabetes and die?_

_Or will there be another plot twist that will derail this story?_

_Find out… in the next chapter!_

_.._

_..  
_

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_**Author's Notes: I ran out of quirky things to say at the last Chapter, so that was me being silly.**_

_R&R! It's like an additional incentive when I can discuss what you reviewed..  
_


	29. Mixed Emotions, Secret Feelings

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 29: Mixed Emotions, Secret Feelings**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Oh dear.. IRL. Oh i do know sorrel's teasing is not as popular :  
**

* * *

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_The school was abuzz, not just only the students that were present during their performance, but their friends as well._

_Never doubt the rumor-mill, interesting gossip and news spread quicker than any wildfire and as there were rumors surrounding the 2B Pencils long before the performance, the old adage: 'No Smoke Without Fire' is useful once again to describe their situation._

_They were just one of a few 'underground' bands that has their roots in the Mai-High with a reputation that is more than just about their music._

_In short, they were infamous for many different reasons. With this new sudden 'promotion', good 'promotion' at best, the rumors were flying about just like how Keima had expected it to be._

_Whether the rumors were good or bad, having a rumor is the most important and best part of it._

_It is like having a headline, the content of the rumor would be up to the interpretation of the reader. In this case, Keima was sure that the 2B Pencils would be able to silence critics of their music by their hard work and their performance in the rehearsal, around 10 days away._

_If the expression of shock and disbelief were anything to go by, coupled with the whispered questions of doubt about their identity as a 'rookie band', the will no longer be the underdogs of the competition, but the dark horse that might challenge the more established and popular bands._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_Students were not only listening to the music, mesmerized by the new sensation but actively recording the music as well. Some would no doubt be uploading it into the World wide web, but that was what Keima plan on doing as well._

_Music is international and there are no boundaries if one can express themselves well. He will make them famous, the most talked about band in the small city that they reside in._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_But one must not forget the person that they has reached as well, who has her world rocked the most from their daring challenge._

_We are talking of course, about, Nakagawa Kanon, the resident idol that was sitting on her favorite bench on the rooftop. She did not fail to catch their song as it was broadcasted on all of the speakers in the school. One could hardly read her expression, but she was an idol after all, a person who is used to controlling her emotions and features behind a never-ending smile._

_But on closer inspection, one can see obvious irritation as her hands were clutching onto the chair a little too tightly than one would normal do so._

_With her eyes closed and a serene look on her face, it was clear that she was experiencing a mixture of emotions while listening to them._

_And who could blame her?_

_.._

_ ..  
_

_She is a professional singer who has gone through countless training sessions trying to perfect her vocals, using the right technique to control her breathing, her way of singing and how to sing in higher pitches and deeper tones than what one would be expected to do._

_But more than that, she always sang with all her heart, transmitting her feelings in her songs to others almost flawlessly without assistance. She did not require dances or perfected routines from backup singers…_

_Her voice was her greatest asset and will continue to be till the day she retire from the scene._

_She can drive people to tears with her songs while at the same time able to invoke 'life' in them, to gather up a surge of strong emotions to touch all of them in their own unique way._

_She as a singer, Nakagawa Kanon, wanted to sing to express herself, to express her love for music… she once wondered and worried about whether she would be popular, whether she would be able to continue to be a star…_

_That question slowly turned into an obsession, a question that determined her entire being… dominated it and threatened to tear it apart._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_Till Katsuragi Keima. The boy had came into her life, the first person to expose her for who she is, a terrified individual clinging to her own popularity as her only source of strength and motivation to go on._

_In time, he became her only source of comfort and strength… perhaps way too much really as she had scared him away… made him let her go for fear that he was pulling her career down by being with her._

_What made it worse was that he had rejected her twice, again when she felt she was ready to welcome him into her life again. After she made all those preparations and effort to accommodate him, she was still rejected…_

_.._

_ ..  
_

**_'Just as you will perform at the Mai-High Fest… I will be there as well, with not just me… with the other girls who have the same determination as you.'_**

..

..

_That was what he told him and she knew that her instincts were right, there was serious competition for him… there were other girls who wanted to be with him as well…_

_He was right to not accept her feelings for him yet as she was still… not good enough._

_Those girls, those girls that he was now managing were singing beautifully. They were lacking the more advanced skills… but had the basics grasped quite well._

_She should not have doubted his ability to be a good manager and she had sown the seeds of her own regret by giving him that chance, them the chance to 'challenge' her._

_It might seem silly and incredulous that Kanon, a full time singer was afraid of those girls. But she was indeed worried…_

_Scouting the team out and listening to their previous recordings was not simple, but she had connections to the studio that they did their recordings in._

_They were… horrible… and they improved so much under the **Capturing God**'s guidance…_

_Most importantly, she could feel their emotions resonating through the song that they performed. Each girl were unique but they meshed together well, accompanying the main lead while still distinguishing themselves individually._

_It is something very difficult to achieve… this was no longer a rookie group._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_'… no..'_

_She sobbed softly as she gripped herself, drowning in doubt and worry at being upstaged at her live performance._

_The Idol, Nakagawa Kanon wanted nothing else but simply to have someone come tell her what to do now. How should she face the mounting challenge and difficulties that she was facing to have the boy she loved with her by her side._

_It is something so simple, so mundane… so common… that she had not expected it to be so difficult._

_'…s-stupid me…'_

_After a few moments of sobbing and feeling sorry for herself, Kanon straightened her back and laid back on the bench, looking up at the sky with a growing smile._

_Life is not always a bed of roses… she had been afraid just now because she was being silly._

_Recalling the facts, thinking back on the boy that had captivated her heart, the answer was simple._

_To do what she has always done, to shine brighter than anyone else… and to sing with all her heart for the boy that she loved._

_'Because… it is… ALL. FOR. YOU!'_

_She declared to the world, but shortly after which she muttered awkwardly to herself._

_'and you better appreciate it… ahaha~~~'_

_.._

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* * *

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He could only answer in the positive; it was not a dilemma or a choice. There was nothing to lose and more to gain by giving in to them.

But it is difficult to phrase the right words to tell them that. He could answer with a simple 'Yes' but that would not be the answer that they want.

He'll have to go completely clean with them, tell them the whole truth and nothing the truth.

'Are you sure, that is what you want from me? The unconditional truth?'

He made sure that he took his time thinking and phrasing his words to make it have more impact. It worked too as the hung onto his every word.

'Yes, the unconditional truth if you wish to earn back our trust… right, Ayumi?'

Gathering her comrades behind her, Chihiro crossed her arms as Ayumi nodded slowly, seemingly a little afraid of what he would reveal when he did.

..

..

'We want to trust you, Katsuragi… but you are holding out on us… there are things that you might be planning that we might not agree on…

So please… you said we are a bunch of sisters… and you are our manager. There are no secrets amongst us, us sisters and the manager who looks after us, right?'

It is a moving speech, but Katsuragi have read better. Still, it was a good answer nonetheless and he ran one hand through his hair before giving a long suffering sigh to them.

'Alright, if you can handle the whole truth… follow me.'

Gesturing to those who are brave enough, he opened the doors and stepped out of the room, leaving all of the girls looking at each other nervously.

..

..

But unexpectedly, it was Elsi who stepped forwarded and hurried behind him. She was afraid of being afraid, of being indecisive and not being able to express herself further.

'I… I'll go.'

She muttered softly as she skipped out into the corridor where Keima was waiting, causing the other girls to all look at each other before following her too.

All of them did not want to lose to someone who was seemed as the weakest one of the group, both emotionally as well as psychologically.

They all realized too, that Elsi is growing up, maturing in front of their eyes as she is driven by something, some desire to be better, to be stronger than ever before, ditching her previously meek demeanor while at the same time gaining new confidence, strength and maturity..

They weren't going to lose to that spirit and so they trudged ahead too, to find out the truth that he was hiding behind his back.

..

..

* * *

..

..

The expression of one's jaw dropping didn't quite appear often in the real world, nor is the saying: 'So quiet that one can hear a pin drop.'

But it really happened as Elsi and the rest of the 2B pencils were left speechless, their mouth wide open in shock as he showed them what he had prepared with Haqua's help.

He had kept Elsi in the dark as to what he was preparing, relying her on more… open assignments. He hoped she did not mind as he had carefully and painstakingly told her that last night.

There were times that he wanted to keep details hidden on her for the 'shock' value and he and thanked her for her patience, promising to make it up for her soon.

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** was not prepared for the expression that Elsi had on her face when he said that and he was painfully aware that he had stepped on a time bomb. This was something that he could not defuse just by apologizing and admitting that he said the wrong thing.

..

..

Words can be interpreted in different ways, mostly the right ones… but he admit that he had not been clear enough in his speech to create this misunderstanding.

Whatever it is, it was sufficient to reenergize and to make Elsi so happy that she hugged him, despite knowing of his discomfort for physical contact in joy.

For some reason, he too was unable to reject Elsi with that expression on her face. She was literally radiating joy and happiness in such a degree that even he could not bear to the one who to destroy that happiness.

He really is changing and he took a second to reflect on that. Previously he would have crushed that tiny bit of hope that Elsi had ruthlessly as to let it grow and build up would result in a much bigger headache than before.

But now he had relented and allowed her to hang on to the little bit of hope as a reward for her.

It is a dangerous one too, he did not know what she expected of him, what she wanted him to provide her with… nor could he figure out what were the key words that had triggered such a response.

Was she glad that he would make it up to her? Or was she simply happy that he had recognized her patience with him?

Either way, he will have to reflect and ponder on that for some time.

..

..

Back to the topic of the shocking things that he revealed to the girls, they were greeted by many different posters that he has created with their band as the centerpiece. It was a testament to both his skills and his resourcefulness as they did not notice him taking those photos.

Placed in the room adjacent to theirs that he used as their storeroom, along with many other club's belongings, there were banners, posters as well as pamphlets about the team, all printed in color with great emphasis on details and quality.

'S-sugoi…'

Terada was left speechless as she picked up one pamphlet that was introducing her and her alone. Besides a team one, Keima had printed and prepared pamphlets as well as A4 sized posters about the members of the band.

If he was going to challenge a real idol, he will need all the help he could get. It was his promise to both of them, the 2B pencils as well as Nakagawa Kanon to do his best.

Even if it means being side tracked a little from his quest of the truth.

..

..

Besides quoting the girls in the short introductory write-ups of them, what embarrassed the girls the most were not the photos, taken without their knowledge while they were practicing or generally chatting with each other, was the fact that Keima had listed their three sizes in them as well.

This caused most of the girls to turn red and to shoot daggers at him for revealing that… but they were even madder when Keima commented that he made the figures slightly inaccurate.

'It's like with one's age… sometimes, it is better to have a more advantageous number.'

He added shamelessly but raised a hand when Ayumi was about to protest and he commented that it was not off, by much anyway.

'WHAT?'

It was another understatement to say that Keima was 'attacked' viciously by the 2B Pencils for intruding in their privacy like that.

* * *

..

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'So are you going to confess on how you got… our measurements?'

Crossing her arms, Ayumi scowled with a blushing red face while Keima simply applied an icepack on his bruised face, a result of all of the girls slapping him repeatedly in the same spot.

He had gotten off a little lightly, he reflected while they all glared angrily at him.

For Ayumi and for most of the girls in the group, they were torn on whether to feel embarrass or to feel happy that he was even interested in their three sizes. Mostly the former but the latter was affecting their feelings as well.

'… It is not difficult to get that particular information, one would need to consult the School Nurse and Doctors. Of course, I would have to state my reasons for doing so, seeing it is confidential information. However, besides that source, It is not difficult to gauge an average range of measurements from my knowledge.'

He left the girls speechless before he clarified with a cough.

'From my games…. Are you satisfied with the advertisements?'

It was one thing to kick start an advertising campaign with a unique strategy, it is another thing to attract the masses.

..

..

Taking a leaf out of many advertising companies, Keima decided to flood the target audience with information, teasers and of course, samples of their 'product'.

'The posters will be placed in all of the notice boards in the school and around town. The pamphlets however will be distributed by hand to our fellow students tomorrow morning. This is to generate more awareness of our Band as well as to generate more hype for the audition that is coming up. The Student Committee has approved of this in the condition that the Mai-High fest is advertised in the Flyers as well. The respective authorities are informed as well… this is what I have been hiding from you… more or less.'

Rattling off before they could answer his question, he was glad to see that the girls were more shocked than anything with his actions.

..

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'This is all that I have planned up till now. I, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God**, promised to lead you to the Mai-High fest… and subsequently promised to not hold out on all of you and to give you nothing but the truth. Is this enough to win your trust?'

He spoke softly while all the girls just at each other, the pamphlets, posters as well as all the preparations that he prepared behind his back (some with Haqua's help).

None of them had expected him to go so far, even if it is to help Elsi, preparing so many things and asking for favors from the Student Council, perhaps some teachers as well to get permission for his plans as well as for the practice sessions.

Earlier on he had proved to be a capable and skilled manager, teaching and instructing them to perform better than they had dreamed and all of them had been won over by his skills and knowledge.

Later all of them were impressed by his mannerisms as well as his attitude in private, being a great teacher as well as a great mentor for all of them, creating an atmosphere that made their friendship and the time they spent together as a group practicing or otherwise to be such a great experience.

But at the same time, they felt that he was withholding things from them at the same time. There is this part of him that seemed withdrawn that only Elsi can reach, and only partially at best. Everyone needed their privacy, but some of the girls felt that he was too distant to be their manager… especially if he was to be 'responsible' for them.

..

..

'… I understand if you can't make a decision now. It is difficult to expect anyone to just trust someone outright.'

Stating the obvious, he took his leave and left the girls in the room, all unable to stop him from leaving.

'… What should we do, Chihiro-chan?'

It was Ayumi who spoke up, unsure what to do as she wanted so desperately to run after him, to say that she trusted him.

But it was Terada who spoke up instead as she was reading one of the pamphlets that Keima had prepared for the entire group.

'We should go together… as a whole, as the 2B Pencils… I trust him…'

She confessed softly as she passed that particular pamphlet to them, urging them to read what was written there.

Written in the back and in one inconspicuous corner was what Keima felt about the 2B Pencils as a whole.

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* * *

**_The girls are simply singing because they wish to, expressing themselves and what they feel about the world, about the ups and downs of life through their songs… their wish for a world that is filled with joy, hope and love._**

**_Just like how they had touched my heart, give them a chance to touch yours as well._**

**_Once chance is all that they need._**

* * *

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_

Just as how he had allowed them the chance to prove themselves despite their weaknesses and confusion about him. It was not them that had given him the chance, it was the other way around… he had led them to where they were right now…

The real test; is for them and not for him. Would they be able to trust him after he trusted them far enough to impart and invested so much knowledge and time in them?

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**author's Notes: R&R would be good...**


	30. Trust

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 30: Trust**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Note: I've not been writing my best lately _**

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Keima took a deep breath as he made his exit and while he made his way down to his classroom, he took note of the students still loitering around the school while waiting for the girl's answer to his question.

Yes, it is a test for them as well as a test of his judgment, of his skills in reading the minds of the girls.

There would be doubts, everyone would have doubts if everything just simply fell into place so perfectly, flawlessly and in such relative ease.

He was a firm believer in Murphy's Law, if something bad were to happen, it will happen. There must be a catch in everything that happened, everything happened for a reason… and so what is his reason for being here?

To gain a favorable position to conduct an investigation of course… if it meant that he's giving the girls a chance to get close to him, so be it.

But to them, the situation was a bit complicated… if the hidden memories were not affecting their lives or their emotions, it would certainly have a more significant impact now when he entered their lives.

The question would come sooner or later, why had he left them, why had he played with their feelings and returned for a second round?

That was easy to explain and there are uncountable reasons that he could come up to answer them if they asked him.

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The harder question was the memory loss and although he had covered some loose ends by hinting that he might have forgotten about them as well, it is not an ideal answer.

Heck, it was a ridiculous answer… and the day will come when he was confronted with it and the person fielding it would probably be Terada.

Despite all of that, he would need the girls to trust him as well, to give him the benefit of the doubt and put their 'careers' in his hands if they wanted to succeed. It is a roundabout way, but he made sure that he invested sufficient time, effort and hardwork into proving that he was not lying to them.

To prove that he deserved a second chance as unlike Nakagawa Kanon, some of the girls were still skeptical, especially so was Chihiro, who was still taking her time to judge him.

Ayumi however, was probably won over by now.

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'Hey, Otamegane!'

Normally he would ignore the name-calling from his 'fellow students' but he has an image to uphold now, the 'manager' of the 2B Pencils would do no less and he turned to look at the group of boys who crowded around him and surrounded him in a circle.

No doubt they wanted a word with him and he steeled himself before speaking again, softly so that they would have to strain their ears to catch his words.

'Yes?'

'That Band… the 2B Pencils was it… you're the manager?'

The leader of the group, a particularly 'attractive' boy of the same age asked gruffly and Keima replied with a nod and was promptly greeted with guffaws all around as they seemed to find it quite a joke.

'Is there something wrong?'

He asked evenly again while the boy shook his head after scratching it a little and just as suddenly, his tone changed and it almost seemed threatening as he leaned closer to him.

'Don't kid with me, Otamegane… what dirty trick are you pulling to get them to be part of 'your' band, huh? Have you stooped so low?'

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Ordinarily he would have ignored him and just walked away from them. However, this is not an ordinary situation and besides he can't possibly step away with them surrounding him like this.

But even disregarding that, he was insinuating something that would tarnish the girls reputation and he shook his head and denied the claim with a straight face.

'Of course not. I was asked to take on the role of their manager. If you have no further questions, please excuse me.'

Politely nodding to them, he was only greeted with a solid wall that prevented him from leaving, the boys apparently not satisfied with his answer at all.

'Hey hey, don't mess with us, Otamegane… you're saying that Takahara asked you? Stop joking around man!'

Grabbing the scruff of his collar, one of the boys just glared fiercely at him and from his body language, it was taking much, if not all of his willpower not to punch his lights out right now.

This one seems to be attracted to Ayumi by the obvious dissatisfaction towards him and they were rapidly making a scene as all of the boys agreed with him and started to get even rowdier, some threatening physical violence to him if he really had 'gotten hold' of Takahara Ayumi by underhanded means.

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Katsuragi Keima was new to this experience in real life but as the **Capturing God**, he has experienced his share of jealous fans or jilted lovers but this was certainly unexpected. Who had thought that it was admirers of Ayumi that came after him and not Kanon?

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'Don't get close to her, or any of the girls for that matter…'

'Yeah, your sister's cute but that doesn't mean we'll let you of because of that!'

'… it's always Onii-sama this, Onii-sama this. I'm sick and tired of that, you stupid Otamegane! Why would you have such a cute sister in the first place?'

The statements were getting even more troubling but Keima tried his best to continue to keep his temper in check, at least not give any signs that he was slowly losing his temper.

Especially so when they started talking about Elsi, this unwanted feeling of rage started building up as he narrowed his eyes slightly at them to show his displeasure.

'Yeah, you must have hidden her somewhere before she came here huh? I bet you have a sister-fetish, keeping him to yourself! You sure did a good job with her, didn't you?'

Continuing to badmouth Elsi and hinting that they would let him off if he would 'borrow' them Elsi for a day or two.

'It'll be good, huh? We'll teach her how pathetic her 'Oni-sama' really is, right boys?'

It was downright disgusting and without noticing, Keima's hands were clenched tight and rolled into a fist, ready to strike back as he pushed his glasses up while the guys laughed.

'Well, how about that? The Otamegane is mad huh? Some kind of 'Manager' you are, why don't you sue us huh? Or why not just release a press statement saying you'll quit, I'll be a much better manager than you, scumbag!'

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He should not be goaded so easily into a fight, nor was it advisable for him to really lash out despite the overwhelming urge to do so. Keima didn't understand why he felt that way, but for once he didn't mind. Anything to get back at them would be satisfying and he stated slowly and softly to them.

'Are you done?'

'what did you say?'

'So, you are done.'

He commented and in the next moment he lashed out at the boy closest to him, using his fist to do the talking before he could register what was happening.

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_'Oh my god!'_

_They had decided to look for him as a group after Miyako-chan insisted that it would be what he wanted. It was a test, according to her and they would only pass if they went to him together, as the 2B Pencils._

_So it had taken quite some time before they located him, badly bruised and injured in one corner of the school. There were wounds all over his body and he sported several bruises on his arms and legs, not to mention having his uniform torn in several places._

_What was remarkable was that his face was not as bruised as the rest of his body but now was not the time to marvel at that._

_'Keima-kun!'_

_'Kami-Onii-sama!'_

_Crying out his name, Takahara Ayumi and his sister, Katsuragi Elsi immediately ran towards him to see if he was alright._

_Common sense said he was not but the two of them were gratified to hear him reply with a grunt that he was not._

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_'Who would be, I would require a game reset please, Elsi…'_

_Mumbling gibberish that somehow made Elsi laugh despite the tears that was showing in the corner of her eyes._

_'What happened, Katsuragi?'_

_Sounding scandalized and upset at the same time, Ayumi looked up to see Chihiro-chan covering her mouth in shock while making her way down to join them. Lastly but not least, she could see Miyako-chan on her phone while snapping at Keima with an anxious voice._

_'Do I need to call an ambulance? How many fingers do you see?'_

_Panicking a little as Keima slowly staggered to his feet and exposed more bruises and even some cuts on his back and upper arms._

_.._

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_

_'Three, Terada… and I'm fine… as reasonably as I can be.'_

_Deadpanning back, Keima straightened his glasses while asking a quick question to them._

_'Have you decided?'_

_Straight to the point, the girls did not reply as Elsi slapped his arm in frustration while sobbing weakly, Ayumi sighing before hitting him just as hard in the other arm and finally, Chihiro simply exploding in rage as she shrieked at him._

_'Why are you asking this now? You're hurt! C-can't you take care of yourself and s-stop… stop just caring about us?'_

_'… I judged that all of you came as you had came to a conclusion… if you have not… I should probably visit the School Infirmary.'_

_That earned him another slap, this time from Elsi as she hugged him tightly this time, embracing him and pressing her small body against her and a moment after that, Ayumi followed, hugging the two of them… and then a third person joined them and then a fourth, altogether in a group hug._

_'We've already decided…'_

_'We'll trust you, Katsuragi.'_

_'We will be in this together.'_

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_

_Seeing him so battered like that, so beaten up and so pathetic looking did not sway their decision at all. They came as they were ready to commit, to follow his lead no matter what he wanted them to do._

_And lastly, they believed in him as he had earned their trust, even if there are things that might be end up to be a little vague, who in the world didn't have their own dark little secrets that they wanted to keep._

_All in all, all of them wanted to take that leap of faith together with him. He might not have 'atoned' for all of his mistakes, but he is trying hard._

_Who could fault him for that, even if they were a little too forgiving… second chances doesn't come without a price after all and it seemed that he paid that price._

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_'Who did this to you, Keima-kun?'_

_Helping him up as he was having difficult walking, apparent by a large welt on his leg and the way he hobbled, Ayumi along with Elsi helped him up the stairs towards the infirmary._

_'No one…'_

_But that was a blatant lie and Chihiro snapped impatiently at him for trying to even attempt that.'_

_'You said there would be no secrets between us… there are things we know is private, but how could you say that no one did this to you… who did… tell me, Katsuragi!'_

_She looked eager for a fight and that made Keima even more reluctant to give up the name till Terada whispered to him as she leaned closer to the three of them to avoid being overheard._

_'Don't protect the persons responsible, Katsuragi-kun… Chihiro will go to any length to find the truth… and I'm sure you know more than anyone else how fast news can spread in the school.'_

_He sighed and the girls smiled amongst themselves, to win against Katsuragi Keima was difficult but it all required careful thinking and logical explanations, answers and of course suggestions._

_Once all three parts are assembled, he would rarely be able to argue or to come up with an alternative._

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_But his answer to Chihiro's question left the girls with deep conflicting feelings, torn between their loyalty to Keima and of course, to their genera image._

_Both were precious and it was tactful on Keima's part to keep quiet and not to mention a thing as they trudged towards the infirmary._

_Of course, Elsi was the one who could not help but give a cry of protest upon hearing the truth._

_'Those boys are so mean! Why would they want to injure you, Onii-sama!'_

_'… actually, I was the one who started it. It was rash of me, so… it is my fault.'_

_'Why did you start a fight, Kami-onii-sama!'_

_Sounding outraged and of course, confused that he would actually resort to fisticuffs, Elsi fell silent when he mentioned that they were badmouthing them, mostly her._

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_'… I should have more control over my emotions, for that I apologize. I fear it might have other repercussions besides the current wounds I suffered.'_

_Muttering in monotones, the wounds and that question seemed to be really bothering him as he wasn't behaving like he usually does, sharp and to the point. More than anything else, he seemed to be disoriented, perhaps the fight as taken more out of him than he imagined?_

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_But before the girls could comment, they froze and Keima stumbled in mid-step as right around the corridor was the 'culprits', they who had taunted and triggered the fight._

_It was them and they seemed shocked, disgusted even by the sight of the girls helping Keima and they jogged over, wearing fake grins on their face as they surrounded them again, some leaning against the walls and preventing them from moving forward._

_So near and yet so far._

_The 'standoff' lasted several moments till Chihiro cleared her throat and asked them politely._

_'May we pass?'_

_'Sure you can, if you just leave that thrash to us.'_

_He sneered at Keima but Chihiro shook her head almost immediately before answering, crossing her arms and pulling Terada with her to make a stand._

_'No we're not. He's our manager and our friend, he's thrash like you say he is, right Miyako-chan?'_

_She hesitated for a moment as she wasn't used to being thrown in the limelight but that hesitation was gone when she glanced at Elsi and Ayumi, both nodding their head furiously and she brushed away the hair that covered her face before answering._

_'Yes, Katsuragi-kun is a brilliant manager and a friend of ours. Please, let us pass now.'_

_The boys were taken aback by their joint statement and they turned around to whisper amongst themselves when Keima urged the girls to go and to not let their reputation be messed up by being with him._

_'It is undesirable, in many ways. Go.'_

_He spoke softly but Ayumi and Elsi shook their heads stubbornly._

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_'We can be just as stubborn as you are, Keima-kun. You said that we belonged together, well you're part of the Band too… so we'll be in this together.'_

_Smart remarks from a not-so-smart girl and Keima just shook his head and sighed._

_'Do whatever you want… just remembered that I warned you all.'_

_But was that a slight smile on his face as he looked down and tried to stand up with his own strength?_

_Did he plan all of this? If so, this is a great gambit by Katsuragi Keima, one of the best he ever pulled._

_Sorta._

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_'If he has some hold on you, Takahara, you can tell us, we'll beat him up and get back whatever he took from you. There's no reason you would like to be with the Otamegane and his geeky games.'_

_One of the boys shouted out and that made Ayumi scowl even more as she stated clearly to them._

_'I don't need your help… who said I needed it… Keima-kun, he's my friend… so stop fooling around and let us go!'_

_Pulling him forward, Elsi followed her lead and helped Keima, along with Chihiro and Miyako to pass the group of guys who were left dumbfounded for an instant._

_But not long enough as one of them grabbed Elsi by the shoulder and roughly pulled her back, almost making Keima fall at suddenly losing her support._

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_'What's the matter, Katsuragi-chan, you don't need to hang around with those losers.'_

_Gesturing at Ayumi and the rest of the girls with Keima, he pulled her into their group, ignoring the protests that the rest made at his actions. The boys on the other hand, thought it was hilarious and gathered around Elsi, who wilted at so many hostile glares aimed at her._

_Some of them had not really very nice intentions as well._

_'No need to be with your loser brother, no more 'Onii-sama's, we'll show you what a real guy is like… and we'll make you a woman too, how about that?'_

_Before Elsi could even squeak a protest, a hand grabbed him on the shoulder before a cold, icy voice remarked to him._

_'Let Elsi go, now.'_

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_**Author's Notes: Go Papa Keima, BITE!**  
_


	31. Sticking Together

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 31: Sticking Together**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: I was sick.**

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_Elsi was terrified, she really was. She had never felt so many hostile glares directed at her and certainly the boys were very emotionally high on their 'triumph' off isolating her as well as getting the better of Kami-Onii-sama earlier._

_She did not want them to get closer to her and she raised her hands up protectively over her body, pushing away some hands that wanted to touch her._

_Every touch felt wrong in many ways and she wanted nothing else but to run away from all of them. For a moment she wanted to use her raiment to drive them off, to stop them from getting closer to her._

_Or even better, call out for her best friend, Haqua or her big sister to save her._

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_

_But no, really what she wanted was for her Kami-Onii-sama to save her._

_He was **God** right? He should be able to save her from any kind of situation!_

_But most importantly perhaps, she wanted to know that she mattered, that he cared for her more than anything else._

_Please, do something, anything!_

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_A girl's wish was granted when the one who had grabbed her away from him paused while turning back and remarking sarcastically, as if not believing his ears._

_'What, did you just say?'_

_'I said, let her go.'_

_His voice was barely audible but it had the effect of silencing the entire group of people in the corridor. All heads were turned towards the speaker, Katsuragi Keima._

_For Elsi though, he has never looked more divinely as he pushed his glasses up while pulling the boy towards him, warning him with a tone so cold it sent shivers up her spine._

_'Do not, let me repeat that again.'_

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_Shocking and scandalous, that's what Miyako Terada thought of the situation that is unfolding in front of him. On one side she didn't imagine that the amount of bullying that Keima had to go through or the fact that those boys, who she recognized as being high on the popularity poll of eligible boys in school, to be such jerks._

_She supposed that being so popular had their downsides but to see them reveal their 'true colors' somewhat made her feel very sick._

_Perhaps if the girls who fangirl all over them were present they wouldn't be so mean? But she doubted that really, leopards don't change their spots after all. Now she wished that she had taken a video of what had happened earlier with Elsi, oh wait, she did!~~ It'll definitely help their case if Katsuragi-kun really snapped._

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_Another thing that she was very amused and concern to note was how Keima seemed to be a little more emotional when it comes to his sister, Elsi._

_It is logical for one to be concerned about their family members, especially their sisters. But it is fitting and unfitting for Keima to be so expressive when it comes to Elsi, it seems like he can only get upset when something is concerning Elsi._

_She does not dislike that in a person, especially not Keima, who she viewed as having the need to let his hair down, so to speak._

_But she really found herself in a tight spot when her other two best friends had an interest in the same boy, the odds are not high for Keima to actually fall for his little sister, but she might be proven wrong if he continues to act in this same manner._

_Whatever the outcome, she felt that she was watching a very over-dramatized Television sitcom and she was the resident critic. Keima and Elsi is really rubbing off her, aren't they?_

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It felt better, the boiling rage that had began when those side-characters, jocks who should not even be allowed to interact with the heroines in the first place, took Elsi away subsided when they all turned to him in surprise.

He was not strong physically, nor has he been in a fight. The odds are against him, and that is not considering the compounding of risks and threats with his companions. But he would feel even worse if he did not make a stand for his beliefs like before, they might have found his hidden fuse, but that would be justified by what they were insulting her with.

All of them deserved to be removed from the game's roster and wiped from memory, public affairs be damned even if it might create a large scene in public.

He will rebuild his reputation as well as the girls after teaching these side characters a lesson.

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''Huuh? You saying something, Otamegane? Did you just tell me to let her go? Why would I even do that?'

Recovering and returning to his usual arrogant and stuck up attitude, Katsuragi Keima spoke an explanation that silenced the crowd once again.

'It seems that you require Tuition lessons if you do not understand such a simple question. As for your other question, it is common courtesy that one answers a question with an answer and not with a question. Do you have any manners…? Oh wait, you do not have any in the first place, have you?'

Pushing his glasses up while he made a mockery of him with his words, the **Capturing God** is well known for being a Magician of words after all and he left the jocks speechless as he retrieved Elsi, pulling her behind him.

'If you would excuse us, we have to be going as we have wasted sufficient time socializing with the whole lot of you. Be thankful that the girls gave you the light of day, with those despicable greetings and attempts at socializing, I am afraid that your looks and physique are your only asset.'

Bowing as if he had just addressed and audience, he took his leave with Elsi and the 2B Pencils in tow, or at least; tried to as the jock who he had been addressing gave an angry howl and swung his fist at him right after his bow.

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It is probably worth mentioning that as part of his efforts to capture the Kasuga Kusonoki, Katsuragi Keima has been 'training' and helping her out in her dojo as well as in other club activities in the Girls Karate Club.

Part of helping out requires him to be near Kusonoki, sometimes a little too near… and we all know how martial artists does neglect to really control the amount of strength they use in something trivial, like pushing or punching away a pervert(?)

It is a matter of life and death for Keima if he does not know how to anticipate danger, dodging those blows from Kusonoki when she gets too upset, especially so when Kusunoki can break bricks with her bare hands.

In short, Keima might have a +6 check in dodging attacks and a +3 check in sense danger.

He might not quite have a pair of eyes behind his back, but it was close enough.

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Avoiding that punch was a piece of cake, but getting Elsi out of the way was slightly more difficult and he achieved that by placing his arm around her waist and jerking her in the same direction that he went to dodge that fist.

It would look horribly silly if he did not just swung at them, but he did and all was well. As well as everything can get with Elsi being hugged like that and Keima staggering a few steps further with the added weight.

'… Ungentlemanly… although I would not like to engage in fisticuffs, if you insist on injuring me or my charges, I am afraid I would have to make a stand and an exception for you.'

It is really jarring to the boys as well as the girls how calm and collected Keima was during this encounter, it was as if he was not even bothered by it.

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But in reality, he was letting off steam in his own way, adding fuel to the fire of insults that he had just hurled at them by placing him way above their league in this current game that they are playing.

By pushing the majority of the blame on them, no matter the outcome, he will emerge as the winner, no matter how they try to argue otherwise.

Using an assumed social status against another can be said to be underhanded, but two can play the same game.

It might not seem like much, but at this stage he could hardly use any other method to preserve his and the girl's image. Imagine the disaster if word leaked out that he had gotten into a fight, the 2B Pencil's career would be over before they knew it.

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Action packed it ain't, but it suits his style and what was expected of him by resolving this incident without raising a fist. If they were to engage in fisticuffs with him right now, they would be seen as the ones in the wrong.

Triumphantly he smiled at the boys, who seemed disgusted at the situation they were in. He had suckered them into this somehow and one has to give him credit by pulling this stunt out of nowhere. Did anyone else suspect that this was his plan in the first place?

He didn't think so and the author didn't think so too…

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Still holding Elsi close to him, he allowed her to settle on her own feet before leading her and Ayumi away, the two girls being the closest to him and he ignored the blush that were on the two girl's face while they headed for the infirmary, their heads held high.

Once again the **Capturing God** had turned disaster into a golden opportunity, this would be a great step in increasing their fame and in a positive manner as well.

'Did you get all that, Terada?'

Asking plainly to the girl who nodded in surprise, Keima pointed out that it was a distinct possibility for her to have done that.

'If you did not, I would have.'

Either he was lying through his teeth once again or he did plan all this, no one could tell and the girls were mostly very impressed by his quick thinking.

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'Katsuragi-kun, I have to admit… you were very cool there! They were just being very big jerks and they deserved all of that!'

Being a little biased towards them, Miyako gushed while Elsi just breathed a sigh of relief before slapping Keima hard on the shoulder. She was happy beyond words that Keima had done for her, coming to her rescue and at the same time showing a wee bit of favoritism towards her.

But, but, she was upset that he had gotten himself hurt in the process, not to mention scaring them for quite sometime with his actions and the subsequent results.

If something had not gone according to 'plan', who knew what might happen.

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Chihiro seemed a little lost for words as she had gone through a myriad storm of emotions before Keima had resolved the incident almost singlehandedly.

Yes, the 2B Pencils gave him support and were ready to go through fire and brimstone for him but they had not contributed any help at all.

That made Chihiro feel a little disappointed as she had wanted to accompany her words with actions, she wanted to prove that she was not lying about what she said and would defend Keima with her body if she had to.

Not literally of course.

She was a little jealous too, about the attention that Keima gave Ayumi and Elsi and she tried to justify his actions internally while another side of her just cried unfair at how easy the two girls was able to express their devotion to him so readily.

Lastly, when everything was settled she felt a little redundant, the adrenaline rush that she felt when Keima and they were in danger disappearing and leaving her restless and tired.

It was as if she had been worked up for nothing and it made her pissed off, in an entire different level than Elsi had been, whose 'anger' had solely been due to worry.

Chihiro was mad as Keima had not depended on them more and she voice that out loudly to them.

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'You could have trusted us more, Katsuragi, we would have done something too it's not like we're statues you know…'

Butting into the conversation mid way, Chihiro was surprised when Keima stopped in his steps and looked towards her before sheepishly scratching his head.

'I understand that, Kosaka, but I did not want all of you to be dragged down with me in the worst case scenario… If you were offended in anyway, I apologize for that.'

It was an apology that she did not expect to receive, but it was close enough and he seemed quite sincere with him adopting an apologetic tone to her, causing Chihiro to soften almost immediately, her anger fading through the use of that ingenious technique.

'W-wwell, it's alright then… you know, we can help out if you really need to. Don't hesitate to ask, desho, Ayumi?'

Slapping her best friend in the back out of nervousness, Chihiro managed to salvage some pride when Ayumi nodded her head eagerly to show that she was the same.

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'We'll stick with you regardless thick or thin, even if you don't want us to. So Katsuragi, don't think you can run from us again.'

Grinning as she looked at him in the eye, she seemed to have missed the deep meaning of what she had just said, but it did not escape Keima's ears.

She admitted that he had ran away from them and he felt a pang of guilt as he lowered his gaze for a moment, causing Chihiro to be a little startled.

'H-hey, Katsuragi, I'm just kidding! You know, I'm just kidding! We know you won't leave us in the lurch… right?'

But she sounded a little unsure of that as her face reddened somewhat upon making that statement.

'Of course, I won't… do that again.'

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Taking time to say the line, Keima took a quick glimpse at everyone's faces.

Ayumi was reddening and so was Chihiro, both of them seemed to be happy for good reason.

As expected of Terada though, she barely bat an eyelid and simply just rolled her eyes while giggling.

Elsi… simply looked happy, just like usual, perhaps a little happier than usual though.

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After getting his injuries patched up, courtesy of Nikaido Yuri, who seemed a little too pleased at his injuries, Katsuragi Keima found himself at the losing end of another argument.

'Sooo~~ To reward us for helping Katsuragi out today~ you're coming with us to shop!'

'Yep!~~ You said you'll join us for Karaoke right? Why not come with us to look at some CDs too? Or some clothes, we need new clothes right?'

Smiling as they cornered the Otamegane the moment they stepped out of sight of Nikaido Yuri sensei, Chihiro took the initiative and was quickly joined in by Ayumi, her comrades in arm as they grinned and pulled at Keima's arm. Their intent was obvious, he was going to be carrying the bags.

'We'll be window shopping, Katsuragi-kun, so you won't be carrying any bags.'

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Armed with a disarming smile and a mind-reading device, Miyako Terada upped the pressure on Katsuragi Keima when she reminded him of his three 'S' as well as his promise to the girls.

'Sisterhood, we are all sisters… we do lots of things together now. You have a responsibility to look after us and our image. Plus, you wouldn't want to be alone they come after you again, would you? It's for your sake and ours. We wouldn't want to be found by them alone and it is the same case for you.'

Flashing a smile that was both devious and winning to him, Keima found himself nursing a bigger headache as she had hit the nail on the head, all of her points are relevant and true.

But to top it off, Elsi had to deal the finishing blow as well.

FINISH HIM OFF GIRLS!

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'Please Kami-Onii-sama!'

He couldn't say no to those pleading eyes.

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**Author's Notes: No, not from cheese or diabetes, I got the flu.**


	32. A New Image

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 32: A New Image**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Once again, thanks to _dongaro_ for the beta-read and editing. Oh right, for those who have not seen my poll, do it! We would have the chapter up earlier, but we had to do some editing with it to compensate for my language and grammer. It'll be this way for some time, so rate of updates will get progressively slower!  
**

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'Neh neh~ Shall we go there too?'

It was as he had feared; he ended up accompanying the girls into different shops while carrying their bags. It is a situation that he had been dreading and wishing would not happen.

But Murphy's law was a constant factor in his life ever since the new term started; and he was resigned to his fate after watching Ayumi pull the girls into the first shop; a clothing shop having a 30% discount to celebrate the start of the school term.

'…'

It had gone downhill from there with the girls going into different shops to try out their wares. Well perhaps he could start to develop their image as well; clothing _did_ make the character after all and this trip could be an opportunity to widen his knowledge on current fashion trends.

Besides, it gaves them an outlet to get rid of their frustration from earlier, and was a great help in soothing their nerves.

What worried him the most however was the karaoke session that was coming up later; and he suddenly wished there was another 'sane' member in the group beside Terada. Elsi, Ayumi and Chihiro could hardly be described as 'sane' when their minds were set on something and Terada seemed to be plotting something with her insider knowledge of the situation and her mischievous nature.

All in all they were a very well bonded girl-band but one that was swiftly trying to climb over him to undermine his authority. If the trend continued, soon he would not be able to enforce his various plans for them…

'… such a headache.'

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_'Neh Miyako-chan, do you think this cap looks good?'_

_Grabbing a boy's cap and trying it on in front of the mirror, Chihiro grinned and struck a victory pose to further elaborate her question. Her face fell almost immediately though when Miyako pointed out that would only make her more boyish._

_'We do need to attract some female fans too~~ I think Chihiro-chan would fit that image best amongst all of us desho?'_

_Pointing to Elsi and Ayumi, who were both examining a couple of the more girlish blouses, Chihiro scowled as she took a swipe at Miyako, who simply danced out of the way._

_'Ara ara~ Seems like Chihiro-chan is acting the part too~~ I can't possibly be a candidate as I have long hair. Chihiro-chan, with the right haircut and the right makeover, we'll make you irresistible to all the girls in the school.'_

_Placing both hands on Chihiro's shoulders, Terada Miyako started to fantasize about the endless possibilities while Chihiro just stared back at her in shock, scandalized that Miyako could have such thoughts.  
_

_'H-hey! Say something, Elsi-chan, Ayumi!'_

_But Chihiro was only rewarded with Ayumi grinning and giving a thumbsup back to Miyako, Elsi simply giggled at the suggestion. The two of them seemed to be in favor of the idea if they were not being involved or swept along into this madness by Miyako._

_'Oi! Katsuragi, say something!'_

_Turning to her last remaining lifeline to get out of this mess with her dignity intact, Chihro was sorely disappointed when Katsuragi did not offer assistance to her and did not fully rebut Miyako as well._

_'It is… a possibility. To cater to different audiences is a valid strategy, Terada.'_

_Reluctantly agreeing with her, Katsuragi Keima started to mumble to himself much to the panic of Chihiro. _

_The only person that was capable of out-arguing Miyako when she had her mind made up was Keima and if he did not do something to distract her attention, Chihiro might really end up going the boyish route in the band._

_Anything but that! She was a girl too! She wanted to retain the appearance and image of one, and not crossdress just for the sake of increasing popularity or for Miyako's weird fantasies!_

_'I refuse! There is no way that you can make me even THINK about dressing like a boy!'_

_.._

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_'There… now doesn't that look nice on you, Chihiro-chan… or perhaps, Chihiro-kun?'_

_Smiling in victory as Chihiro came out of the dressing room in more, boyish clothes, Miyako rushed over to give her a hug._

_Wearing a white T-shirt with a splash of graffiti on the middle of it to highlight her uniqueness, Chihiro topped it off with a black windbreaker and matching black pants. On her head she opted to wear a brown boy's cap, tilting it to the side to show that she was not just a pretty boy but a girl, making her match Miyako's deepest fantasies._

_'…'_

_The others simply stared at Chihiro as words failed them for a moment, but as soon as they recovered Elsi and Ayumi rushed over to have a closer look at the embarrassed girl. Even the shop assistant seemed blown away by the change in appearance and the girl stared at Chihiro for a moment before rushing over to another corner of the shop to stop staring at Chihiro._

_'I-is that really you Chihiro-chan? Y-you look great! Really cool and… handsome too!'_

_'Who… knew that you could pull this off after all… Chihiro, you… look really good. It's a good thing, really!'_

_'I don't want this! It's not a good thing to be praised for being good looking as a guy!'_

_Gawking and trying their best to cheer up the depressed girl, Elsi and Ayumi looked back towards Keima and Miyako for help in cheering her up._

_'Chihiro-kun, you'll sure to have many fans!'_

_Winking and flashing a thumbsup sign to Chihiro, Miyako was making the situation worse and the girls were at their wit ends till Keima spoke up._

_'Everyone has their own image and their own charm. You look good Kosaka, and you should be proud of it. You do not need to care what others see you as, as long as your closest friends know who you really are. That is proof of the bond between you and your sisters in the 2B Pencils, right?'_

_.._

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_Leave it to Keima to say the right words and Chihiro immediately blushed at being praised in that way. He was just saying that she is attractive in her own was. But that seemed to just make Miyako grin a bit more while Elsi and Ayumi seemingly stiffened in place while Chihiro went back to the dressing room to look at her new outfit._

_It was then that Keima realized he had been sucker punched by Miyako as she wanted to be in charge of shaping their image to her wildest fantasies._

_'… Restrain yourself, Terada. You can help with characterizing the band, but I will not agree to it if it does not match their personality.'_

_He whispered tersely as the other two girls started looking through the shop for new outfits too. They hadn't come here to shop per se, but now with some subtle manipulation from Terada, it had turned into a desperate battle to impress him._

_'Of course, Manager-san~ Now if you'll excuse me, I have to pick up some clothes as well. We need multiple costumes anyway, so I hope you'll be a little more flexible and give me some space to be creative.'_

_She actually winked at him before taking her leave, going to a particular corner of the shop which favored frills and Goths._

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_'… I didn't expect her to like Gothic fashion…'_

_He blurted out before shaking his head, this would end up disastrously wrong; he could feel it in his bones._

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_After around an hour of browsing, too long as well as too short for Keima, he looked up from the game he was playing to see Chihiro pointing towards the dressing rooms again._

_Picking up the new outfit that he and Terada had agreed on, Chihiro had gone with Ayumi to pick up a contrasting outfit for her use as well._

_Ayumi could not be described as tom-boyish as she still carried her own unique feminine charm despite being in a sporting group. Thus she could do well in both aspects, being both cute while still retaining a boyish exterior and showing this boyish side while dressing daintily in pink._

_However Ayumi opted for something that contrasted Chihiro as she was and still is designated as the 'main attraction' of the group, the most attractive and with the best personality._

_Dressed in black and white, the opposite of Chihiro, Ayumi opted for a spaghetti strap shirt topped off with a grey cardigan that showed off some of her smooth skin._

_Topping off the look was a pair of hotpants that were neatly covered by a moderately length white skirt, Ayumi looked pretty and fresh straight out of the dressing room and Keima nodded his approval._

_'W-well… what do you think, Keima-kun?'_

_'Why are you even asking this for? You look great, Ayumi!'_

_Grinning at her, Chihiro laughed till Ayumi pulled down Chihiro's hat to cover her eyes in a bid to hide her embarrassment._

_'Kosaka's right, you look fantastic, Takahara. Now to get you an accessory for your hair and we'll have agreed on one costume-set for you.'_

_Ayumi was too busy contemplating his compliment before the both of them realized that they would need more clothes._

_Ordinarily they would love the chance to shop for clothes, but these clothes wouldn't come cheap, if they had to get… let's say 3 more outfits, they'd be completely broke._

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_'Don't you worry. I'll foot the bill for your wardrobe. But only one set today…'_

_Closing one eye as he looked towards the other shy girl who was walking towards them, Keima was not so much surprised as having his breath literally stolen from him._

_Elsi was not dressed in pink or purple, instead she was dressed almost totally in black and white._

_It seems that colors black and white is set to be a reoccurring theme but that thought was quickly abandoned as Keima took stock of the situation. Elsi was wearing colors befitting of a devil at last, as she had picked out a punkish outfit._

_Wearing a white blouse with a matching red tie, she covered it up with a black and white checkered sweater endorsed with many quotes that youths would relate to. It created a defiant look totally different from the normally obedient Elsi and that was not the least of it._

_Elsi also had on a pair of red and black checkered skirt that exposed most of her legs; its length was ridiculously short as it barely covered her undergarments, as she opted for black and blue thigh-highs, instead of the usual pink thigh-highs that she usually wore._

_Topping off the new image, Elsi added some accessories, a skull shaped necklace with several metal bangles on both her hands and a large oversized studded belt that hung loosely around her waist._

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_A total change in image and one could mistake her for a totally different person; except that she retained her shy personality and turned pink when Keima and the other girls' mouths dropped open in shock._

_It was so unexpected that everyone was floored by how daring she was._

_'E-elsi-chan…'_

_'Elsi…'_

_Unable to believe it is Elsi, Chihiro and Ayumi rushed over to her side and spent some time speaking with her while Keima simply gawked at her._

_Yes, gawked as he could not believe how stunning she looked. Despite dressing herself in such a way that she made herself look similar to a rebellious punk-loving girl, she retained the innocence that was her charm from day one, awkward and strangely fitting in this new look._

_'…'_

_'What is the matter, Katsuragi-kun? Did Elsi…'_

_Stopping in mid sentence, Terada gasped before running over to the gaggled of girls before glomping Elsi in a full body hug that toppled the two of them to the ground from the impact._

_'OH MY GOD! ELSI YOU LOOK SO CUTE!'_

_Watching Miyako literally fangasm-ing over Elsi, Keima came back to his senses and took stock of Miyako's choice in clothing. Unlike her eccentric nature, she was strangely conservative in her taste of clothes._

_Her clothes of choice included an oversized beige colored Henley shirt that reached to around her mid-thighs, paired with an oversized, cream colored belt. _

_Topping it off she added black capri-length leggings and finished by tying her hair up in a high ponytail, which made for a dramatic change as the normal girl turned out to be above average when matched with the proper clothes and some effort in detail._

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_It seemed that their debut costumes were set, even if he was still stunned by Elsi's appearance. She was distracting him way too much and although he appreciated her trying her best, wasn't this going a little overboard? Elsi looked really too stunning as everyone's eyes were on her._

_No doubt the novelty would wear off with time but now he had to try and touch up the other girls as well, probably with some accessories too to lessen the impact that Elsi had given._

_Her outfit would match well with Ayumi's as they were a contrast to each other. One was fresh and up to date with the norms of society while the other was at the extreme end of the spectrum as she bordered the line a little._

_They were a little too extravagant when compared to Chihiro and Miyako and that concerned Keima as Chihiro was supposed to be the lead, but he supposed that Chihiro could still be popular with the others as her choice of clothing was for another audience altogether._

_It was the same for Miyako in a way, as the pianist was not supposed to stand up at all after all, and her presence in the band would help soften it's initial 'oomph' and make it more pleasing to the eye with the right placement._

_With eye candy in front and conservative in the back, they might just pull it off._

_Or perhaps they could go for another design to match with Elsi's daring outfit after all?_

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_'Impressive Elsi, I am unable to describe you…you look visibly stunning. You really surprised me there'_

_Giving praise to her choice after they untangled themselves, Keima reached out to ruffle her hair in a show of affection and Elsi smiled happily back at him._

_'Thank you, Kami-Onii-san~'_

_'You too Terada, even if it is a little conservative.'_

_Doing a little courtesy to Keima, Terada Miyako replied confidently that her role in the band was not to be the eye-candy but instead be the calming influence in the group._

_'Don't worry, Katsuragi-kun, I know my limits. I'll be the supporting role that you need.'_

_Neither jealous nor unhappy about her role, Miyako smiled as she complimented the girls on their looks before looking to Keima expectantly._

_'You said you were going to pay for all of this right?'_

_'Yes, so let's go.'_

_Nodding to them, he did as he promised and he offered a credit card to the shocked cashier. How did he even get a credit card in the first place? Where did all his credit come from anyway?_

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After getting the clothes and walking around browsing again, the girls were not surprised that Keima walked into a Gaming Store while Elsi explained to the rest that this was favorite store in the district.

'Sometimes Kami-onii-sama likes to go to another town to look for some games, but usually we go to this one. He is very well known here…'

Watching as the shop keeper came down personally to assist Keima, Elsi noticed that the girls were looking at each other as if they wanted very much to ask a question and she saved them the trouble by asking if they were alright.

'Y-yes Elsi-chan… but Katsuragi doesn't work, right? How does he get the money to buy his games and to pay for all these clothes? They don't come cheap…'

Chihiro had been happy that Keima volunteered to pay for their clothes but even she had been shocked at how casually Keima paid for those clothes, which would surely have cost half a month's pay if she worked part-time during summer break. Hence her disbelief and her questions to Elsi.

And yet he was still picking up a couple of games that the manager recommended to him. Games did not come cheap and unless he had a small fortune, there was no way he could keep up to date with all the newest ones.

It would be like trying to buy a new dress every time one new design came out. It's practically impossible to do so and so how can he be so nonchalant about that.

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'Oh, Kami-Onii-sama said it was something I wouldn't understand… but he seems to have a lot of traffic?'

Elsi titled her head in confusion as she tried to recall what Keima had told her then; the little demon pulled Ayumi into the store to look around. Elsi herself did not like games but it didn't hurt to browse right? Besides they sold CDs too and the rest of the girls shrugged before following Elsi's lead and started browsing around for things that caught their eye.

Chihiro on the other hand wandered over to Keima who was still being served by the manager. Seeing her approach, the manager hastily backed away while winking at Keima.

'Katsuragi, how can you afford to pay for our clothes, and your games as well as all the equipment?'

Waiting in anticipation for the answer, Chihiro looked at him for a long time before he finally turned to meet her eyes, tearing his gaze away from a game that he held in his hands.

'From various sources.'

Seeing her look confused at his statement, Keima elaborated slowly to Chihiro.

'My finances are very healthy indeed. It is something that I rather not explain, so please forgive me. I am not doing anything illegal or borrowing from others, it is indeed my money and I wish to spend it in this way.

Of course I will seek reimbursement from the Club Funds once they are able to support the Band.'

Seeing him smile a little deviously, Chihiro backed away a little as she realized that it would fall to her to keep the Club in the Black as they would have to reimburse Keima eventually for what he was doing.

Success has a price after all, so she tried to distract him with some casual conversation.

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'… I think I was here before during summer…'

'Hmm… It is odd to know that you are interested in games as well.'

He noted dryly while peering at another new game when he suddenly stiffened when Ayumi remarked that she too had came here during Summer break as well.

'Me too, Chihiro-chan… I came here once. I got a CD here, it was a soundtrack from an old movie that I liked~'

Was this a clue after so long?

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**Author's Notes: Oh right, R&R! I might be selfish, but I'll die for some concept art from those who think they can design some costumes for them. K-On! is a huge influence on me and I'm enjoying Azalea Side more and more~  
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	33. Motivation

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 33: Motivation**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: My muse was working overtime with this. So I skipped Sorrel's Teasing this time. Again, thanks to _dongaro _for the beta-read and editing! Oh right, MY POLL IS IMPORTANT!**

**Finally, for all those Asami-fans, SHE ACTUALLY APPEARED IN THE ANIME. She's the girl sitting behind Chihiro and Elsi that is featured in the starting segments of Season 2 Episode 5, the girl with the short ponytail on the top of her head. That, is Yoshino Asami, I choked when I saw her...  
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Was this the break that he had been seeking? Would he be able to find some clues here, in the place that he had called home for so long? If so it would be very ironic as this was the last place he'd have considered in his search for the truth.

To think that both Takahara and Kosaka had been to this place once during the Summer Holidays was more than just a coincidence, something might have happened here.

'…I didn't expect this place to have so many games though, I sort of browsed around a little so…'

Chihiro realized the conversation was rapidly coming to an end as Keima was not saying anything and she scratched her head; seeming ready to back away when Keima replied to her while pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose again.

'It should, I would not patronize this store if it did not keep a good inventory, have good product placement as well as having knowledgeable staff. Out of the many stores in town, this is the only one worthy of my time to browse around in. The prices are reasonable and of course, they bring in the latest games immediately after their release. Their service is top-notch.'

The owner of the store and the employees seemed to glow with pride, their postures straighter and their smile even more radiant upon hearing his praise. All of them knew that Katsuragi Keima, their valued customer, was not an ordinary person.

All of them knew about the **Capturing God** and the status in the Internet World and they suspected Keima of being the one, what with his insider knowledge of the games to his quantity of purchases.

As a rule, only the owner was allowed to assist Keima as he would have the knowledge and insider info that Keima would inquire about.

If there was a limited release edition, the owner would be able to secure one for Keima as a special service. If there was a fan-disc that is limited to a few copies, naturally the owner would keep Keima informed about the latest happenings and if possible, get one for him as well.

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Normal shop-assistants without such insider info would simply make him unhappy with the service; and many a gaming shop that failed to impress him and had closed down after his visit.

Only those stores where he would picked up a copy of a game, any game at all, were worth patronizing.

Of course, no one else but those in the community would know that and the girls, Ayumi, Chihiro and Miyako, simply looked at him in shock as he finished.

'There are many reasons why I play a specific games, but to use terms that you are familiar with… each of these are like a drama serial, those that are popularized in mainstream television today. But instead of watching, you make the choices, and regardless of whatever you choose, your goal is to always get the right and happy ending for the person that you pick.

It is as simple as that. There are curveballs in real life, but even more so in the games… there are heroines who are never released from their endless nightmare and if that is the case, I will be the one who let them see the glimmer of hope.

And of course for the countless others who seek me for advice to allow themselves to witness each heroine's own unique story.'

Well said, and as expected from the **Capturing God. **If there were any doubts as to his identity, they were gone, as the shop assistants started to mumble amongst each other upon meeting him in person.

Of course, they knew better than to spread the news, to have the **Capturing God** himself visit their stores was enough. His identity should not be revealed to others. Simply because they would try to steal him away… but another part was that it would be disastrous if their shop were to be known as the one who sold him out.

There were many people who supported the **Capturing God** and many who disliked him, especially some gaming companies who took pride in having complex storylines only to have Keima finish their games in record time.

Some activists also disliked him for the simple reason that he was the one who revived the weak gal-game industry to its current peak now. With his endless reviews, comments and coverage of all the games, he single-handedly helped increase sale, generate interest and gave the Gaming Companies incentive to continue churning out their games.

In short, he was their savior, and if he was to ever be 'taken down', who knew what the repercussion were to be. Yes, his identity should always be kept a secret.

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'I see, Katsuragi… I didn't know you liked soap opera and all that. Ahaha~'

Laughing a little as she listened to Keima, Chihiro did not seem disgusted, only more curious as she took a peek at what Keima was selecting.

'Are there games for girls too?'

'A smaller market, but yes, there are games catering to girls with the objective of meeting boys instead of girls.'

Keima raised an eyebrow when Chihiro seemed a little thoughtful, staring at the game in Keima's hands.

'You… wouldn't be interested, would you, Kosaka?'

'Ah! No! Of course not! I have to practice and all, and I wouldn't have enough time to play anyway… it's just that, I think I saw this game before when I came down here…'

Rubbing her chin, Chihiro tried hard to remember what happened when she was here, but she came up with a blank.

'Perhaps it's been too long… but I thought that game was cute… ahaha~'

It was a Magical Girl Game titled: and one that has its regular version released during the middle of Summer Break. What Keima was holding was the non-risqué all-age friendly version. It was perhaps better that Chihiro did not get a copy of the game.

'… Mm… what happened that day… really…'

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_It was odd how Elsi felt comfortable being in the shop; it was a place that she went often with Keima and it seemed like a second home to her now. She didn't like the games that Keima played and she was turned off by the games that were 'apparently catered towards' girls like her. _

_To Elsi, those games made no sense and it seemed that the galgames that Keima is so obsessed about was better made…_

_Thus, she was able to help Ayumi who wandered off to browse around the shop a little too. Elsi had noticed that Miyako-chan didn't seem too perturbed by entering the shop and she immediately headed over to one section of the shop to browse._

_Elsi found Miyako to be as eccentric as Keima, as she has her own tastes and likes, and behind that normal looking girl was someone that was both surprising and intimidating with her weird ideas, focus and intelligence._

_If Elsi had not known Fuse Aoba from another 'capture' she would have questioned why the two of them had not discovered this 'sleeping dragon' right amongst their midst. In some ways, all of them, the 2B Pencils have really bonded as only if they were very close together will they show their innermost true self to each other._

_Well Elsi herself had not showcased any strange side of her, right?_

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_'Neh, Elsi-chan… do you like playing these games like your nii-sama too?'_

_It was then that Elsi realized that she had been calling Keima, Kami-Onni-sama in front of everyone else and she blushed a deep red. In the past she would have been a little more discreet calling him that. But somehow when she was with her band-mates, she felt like she was at home and her normal way of addressing him slipped out without her noticing._

_'A-ah… No… I… was just thinking about things…'_

_'Is that so? You seem awfully engrossed, Elsi-chan…'_

_Elsi looked away before asking Ayumi an embarrassing question._

_'Ano… Ayumi-chan… is it odd… for me to call Keima Onii-san, Kami-Onii-sama?'_

_Playing with her fingers as she looked down to her feet, Elsi was reassured a little when Ayumi shook her head in reply._

_'I… it's not usual to look up to one's brother… so it's not, Elsi-chan. But it's not a good idea to call her that in public all the time you know, people might get mistaken… Elsi-chan and Keima-kun are sisters right? He might be called a pervert who asked his sister to call him that…'_

_Laughing a little softly, Ayumi noticed that Elsi seemed a little shocked at that and she hugged Elsi immediately._

_'But, that said…Elsi-chan really liked Keima-kun desho? It's not a bad thing to show your respect for him that way… it's not a good thing to… really like him in that way though…'_

_'… I see… so it's wrong to feel that way…?'_

_'Elsi-chan, did you say something?'_

_'N-no, nothing…'_

_But Ayumi noticed a definite change in Elsi from that moment onwards; the cheerful girl looked genuinely upset about something. Was it something that she said to Elsi?_

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_'I see, so this one is pretty good… huh?'_

_Chihiro had enjoyed herself talking with Keima about his games and she felt a little triumphant too in engaging him in conversation throughout his little side-trip in the store._

_By asking him about the games, various titles that seemed interesting to her, Chihiro had managed to hold a decent conversation with Keima. If it came to games, it seemed that he shed away that cold, silent self and became a different person altogether._

_'Yes, I do recommend it, the creators put effort in creating and emphasizing the unique characters, much more so than any other games released in the same year. Even if it has sub-par plot, a very unrealistic one, it has an excellent OST which makes it a very good choice for a person new to playing such games. If you are interested, I can always lend you a copy.'_

_Nodding as he gave his assessment in this particular game, Chihiro was now convinced that if he ever put one percent of his effort and focus into something else, he would surely be able to do it in perfection. With the amount of effort that he was placing on them, did that mean that he would really accomplish what he promised to do?_

_To help them perform at Mai-High?_

_Just thinking about this possibility made Chihiro tremble with fear, she only wanted to sing to express herself… she did not really think that such a grand stage was suitable for someone like her._

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_'Kosaka?'_

_Hearing him call her, Chihiro turned to face him and found him to be very close to him, too close in fact as he had his eyebrows raised while looking at her closely._

_'Your face is red… did I say something to embarrass you after all?'_

_Being surprisingly genre savvy, Keima simply watched as Chihiro turned redder, holding her breath to calm herself down before shaking her head in worry._

_'… I was just feeling a little nervous. I know Katsuragi will get us to the Mai-High Festival… but what if that stage is too big for us? What if we aren't good enough for that stage in the first place? _

_Won't those who really deserve to perform there… be mad at letting us, a rookie group perform at such an important event? It's the Mai-High fest! It happens only once a year!'_

_Clenching her fist and waving it about aimlessly, Chihiro continued while Keima simply listened to her rant._

_'I… I don't know if I can perform to so many people, Katsuragi… it's not about whether I'm nervous… it's about, whether I deserve to have such a good chance, to have someone like you watching my back, pushing me forward… you could do so much better if you helped someone else and not someone, like me.'_

_She ended her rant by pointing at herself pathetically, and Chihiro was a little upset when Keima simply shook his head and smiled back at her. Was he really laughing at her after she said so much to him? That's so rude of him!_

_'Before you lash out at me for being rude, I want you to listen to me, Kosaka.'_

_Closing his eyes, Keima seemed to be contemplating what he wanted to say. After he was done, he placed down the games that he carried to one side and then placed his hands on both of Chihiro's shoulders._

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_'I choose to be the manager of this team for my own reasons. I know all of your strengths and abilities, and what you can achieve if you set your mind to… it is not just about hard work and determination. It is not just about talent or the many reasons that you gave to be able to perform in the Festival. _

_It is only about how much fun you have when you are playing it, the emotions that you show when you are playing and what the audience feels when you play for them. Perform for them and showcase to them.'_

_Coughing, Keima continued after releasing Chihiro and picking up his games once again._

_'All of you have fun when you are playing together, it does not matter whether you have no talent; the quality of the music you play… Robots can play music to perfection and yet we don't see them playing in concerts all the time, don't we? _

_What is important, is that you have fun together when playing, the same joy you feel will be felt by your audience through your music… and I know all of you love each other.'_

_Smiling, Keima closed one eye while looking at Chihiro as he pointed to his games and elaborated._

_'Every time I finish 'capturing' one heroine… I think that I feel what it is like to fall in love with someone. That is the emotion that I want to always know, to experience when I play a game. It is the same for the music played by the 2B Pencils; I think I can feel that same feeling when you play… _

_I believe that the 2B Pencils can perform the music that will touch the hearts of everyone... no matter what you sing and play.'_

_'W-why… are you telling me this? Isn't it something that everyone else should know?'_

_Somehow Chihiro was not convinced that these words were meant for her only; it would be too good to be true if it was so and she looked away from Keima in guilt. She did not deserve such praise, such encouragement from him._

_.._

_..  
_

_'Isn't it obvious?'_

_Grinning, Keima reached for her hat and removed it before rubbing it like how he did with Elsi. It insulted her a little to be treated like a child but she felt privileged too, as she had never seen Keima do that to anyone else after all._

_'You're the leader of the group, you're the one that inspired them… before I came into the picture, you were the one who gave them the spirit, the fire and the zeal to play… even if you sounded terrible then, you still had fun, no? _

_They followed you for so long, listening and accepting what you sang up till now… you are the one who expressed their feelings for them up till now after all. If there is someone that will lead them in their first song on the stage of destiny, it is you, Kosaka Chihiro, not me.'_

_.._

_ ..  
_

_She couldn't deny that but damned if she'd let him get away with acting cool in such a fashion, and Chihiro slapped him hard in the shoulders while grinning back at him._

_'That's cheating… using those words to motivate me is really… cheating.'_

_Chihiro couldn't help but blush red while Keima simply shook his head to stop encouraging her further. But it was probably too late, Kosaka Chihiro had started going down the same path as Takahara Ayumi before her._

_A little way behind perhaps, but in front of a girl as determined as Ayumi herself to change herself, Ayumi will find it hard to maintain her lead on Chihiro._

* * *

_..  
_

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'Now it's time for the main attraction!'

Pumping her fist up in anticipation for the last trip in their little 'outing', Takahara Ayumi cheered when Chihiro followed her example and just giggled softly when Keima groaned at her enthusiasm.

'Just to inform all of you, I can only stay for an hour and I will NOT sing.'

Raising a finger to warn all of them, Katsuragi Keima narrowed his eyes when he noticed Miyako Terada whispering something to Elsi out of the corner of his eyes. But before he could demand an explanation from the two of them, Chihiro and Ayumi had dragged him into the karaoke, bags and all.

'We'll need a room for 5 please!'

How did he get dragged into this again?

..

..

* * *

..

'Isn't this nice, Elsi-chan?'

Noticing that Elsi was a little down, Miyako Terada sat down beside her and offered her a cold drink while Ayumi and Chihiro started to select the songs that they wanted to sing.

'Ah… Ahaha, yes, Miyako-chan…'

Accepting the drink carefully, Elsi took a sip of the cold drink before gulping it down happily. So she really had been so bothered that she was not taking care of herself...

'If you're tired, you should tell us, Elsi-chan… you'll get sick if you keep neglecting yourself…'

Fussing over her a little, Miyako looked up to see that Keima was keeping a wary eye on the two of them and she felt a little relieved that at least he was taking note of her condition. Catching his eye, Miyako waved her hand and motioned that she would take care of Elsi for a while.

'I'm alright, Miyako-chan… do-don't worry… about me…'

Seeing her looking away guiltily, Miyako frowned as Elsi seemed to be really bothered about something.

'Elsi-chan… is there really nothing bothering you? If I said something wrong, I'm sorry…'

'… No, I'm alright, really…'

Brushing Miyako off as she turned to smile at her brother, Miyako noticed that Elsi lacked her usual energy and she frowned at Elsi a little.

Surely, she couldn't really feel that way towards her brother, could she?

..

..

Miyako Terada was not a silly girl and she was unbiased in her judgment towards Keima; and from her observations there was little doubt that Ayumi-chan had fallen in love with Katsuragi-kun all over again. Which was not surprising to begin with, seeing as how she had always seemed to be a little odd when she was dealing with anything remotely associated with him.

Chihiro-chan was falling into the same trap as well, she had always been apprehensive to him ever since a few weeks back but recently after close contact with him, she had developed a sort of respect for him.

Perhaps she had forgiven him for what he did to her and Ayumi-chan, and was willing to give him another chance?

..

Elsi on the other hand had always displayed a crush on her brother and that was painfully obvious even before he became their manager; but since then she had changed dramatically, being very jealous of the other girls although she herself and the girls had yet to realize it for themselves.

Miyako knew Elsi was kind in nature and was not someone to hold a grudge, and Miyako doubted that it would disrupt the group's synergy much, if at all even if Elsi was jealous of the attention that the other girls were given.

But it was a whole different ball game altogether if Elsi really liked her brother…

Come to think of it, were they really blood-relations in the first place?

..

..

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**Author's Notes: This is for the Chihiro-fans out there! R&R! I can't believe the amount of hits I'm getting but a very lack of reviews...  
**


	34. One's Future

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 34: One's Future**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Once again, thanks to _dongaro _for the beta-read! No, I have no idea what my muse is thinking _ to have me write so much. But HEY! You guys benefit!**

**Oh right, I did saw the Video on Keima's Singing prowress. I laughed, but i feel bad that I actually paid more attention to the girls.. than to the song.. Lastly, I'm up to Vol.11 of the Manga! Rejoice!  
**

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_Elsi felt terrible, what was this feeling of betrayal that she felt towards Ayumi-chan? Elsi had always liked Ayumi-chan, partly as she was one of the first girls to actually speak with her, Chihiro aside of course, and Ayumi always seemed so energetic and cheerful._

_What was even more special about her was that Ayumi was her first 'capture', her weiss gave Elsi hope that she could actually be more like her sister who was an accomplished devil in new Hell!_

_But now that feeling was being rapidly replaced by a different feeling, a very terrible one as she started to feel uncomfortable around Ayumi-chan._

_Kami-Onii-sama had explained to her about the Three S's, Shared story and Sisterhood were two of them and she knew he was always correct. In order to achieve their dreams and to play at the Mai-High Festival, all of them would have to put their hearts together and work hard!_

_That part she understood, but playing at the Mai-High festival was not her dream, no her dream right now was to be acknowledged by Kami-Onii-sama and by her peers._

_She did not capture 10 Weiss just by luck! She had help from her Kami-Onii-sama, but she captured all of them by herself without any other help! She was no longer just a Cleaning-devil in New Hell, she is part of the Weiss Capturing Squad…_

_That was all she wanted and she found herself a little unwilling to commit so much to the band all of a sudden after Ayumi's hurtful words._

_It had cut into her, wounding her deeply as well as shaking her faith and trust in Ayumi-chan too. Elsi wished that she could forget what Ayumi said but she just couldn't! Not when Ayumi-chan had said such hurtful things! She, Elsi, really liked Keima after all! Why couldn't she be allowed to like Kami-Onii-sama after all?_

_.._

_.._

_It was then that Elsi realized why she felt so upset, frustrated and unhappy lately. No, she had just been ignoring, pushing that ludicrous thought away; as deep down Elsi knew that it was wrong too, just like how Ayumi-chan had described it to her._

_In that sense, Ayumi-chan was just like a part of herself, reciting those words back to her. She didn't want to listen to Ayumi-chan until now and just by thinking about it in that way made Elsi settle down a little._

_She could take comfort that at least now she knew what the constricting feeling around her heart was._

_But at the same time, it brought about a slew of questions that Elsi didn't want to answer right now._

_Was it even allowed? Would others really mind if she really felt that way? What could the others do if they found out? But the most pressing questions were two that she had absolutely no answers or excuse that she could hide behind or explain away with._

_What would her friends think? And what would Kami-Onii-sama and Haqua-chan do if they found out?_

_Katsuragi Elsi, and not Elucia de Lute Irma, found herself not really caring; not if she could accomplish her goals. She wanted Keima to look at her and her only, for him to not let go of her hands; those hands that had supported and guided her for so long… she wanted them to be hers and hers only._

_No matter what the others thought; and that was why she would continue in the same path. _

_Something in her told her that it would be what Keima would have wanted, and she would prove that she could achieve what he expected her to be, as well as to be someone that he did not expect._

_So may God give her courage… give her the strength… to be the girl that she could never be, until now._

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_.._

_.._

'No.'

He had plainly refused the two girls that were sitting beside him by shaking his head, but they had not relented in begging him from when they arrived.

'It's such a waste if you don't even sing a song, Katsuragi!'

'Chihiro-chan is right! Please, Keima-kun, just sing one song! We'll even let you pick it out by yourself!'

The person that was pushing the microphone to him was Ayumi while the other, Chihiro was pushing the Index of songs at him with a bright smile.

Chihiro had enjoyed herself as she belted out classic Jpop sings that had been well within her vocal range as well as being her favorites, and Keima had been happy to note that Chihiro's hard work was showing.

It was something good to note that although he had taken charge for only a few days, they had improved leap and bounds after having him helping out in their little practice sessions.

This showed that they had the potential in them all along, or perhaps just highlighted his skills as an efficient and effective teacher.

It was his second attempt at teaching, his first student being Fuse Aoba, the **Mai-Hime,** and he was proud that his first and perhaps finest student had made a name for herself in the gaming community. Perhaps she might one day take his title of **Capturing God** but it would not happen without a fight.

It made him feel a little lonely, but that was to be expected really, as he was walking down a road less travelled.

..

..

'C'mon Katsuragi! This is the song from the game you showed me earlier, isn't it? C'mon! Just this one! I'll even let you have the original version playing and not the off-vocal version!'

Making yet another concession, Chihiro was grinding his last nerves and he sighed as he looked around.

Miyako was with Elsi and the two of them were singing together, much to his utter relief. In his defense, he HAD noticed Elsi being a little down in the dumps but was clueless as to why she was feeling that way.

Besides, he had wanted to acquire more clues from Chihiro and Ayumi, he was sure the two of them had definitely seen something or had someone meet them in that store during Summer Break.

He was not a believer of coincidence, and having two of the affected girls going to the same place was much too 'coincidental' for his liking.

This was the hidden link that he had been looking for and Keima wanted desperately to know what had happened then.

Thus, he had asked for the shop owner's assistance in digging through the surveillance tapes to look for videos of the two girls and to give him a copy of the tapes.

Of course he had agreed readily even before Keima had promised that for the next few months, all of his further purchase will be done exclusively at this shop.

..

..

This trip, which he had initially thought to be something out of his worst nightmares, had actually been the opposite and had benefited him greatly. Both in terms of 'game-wise' and with regards to his investigations, it had been a really good day.

So why not give them a break this time?

'Just, this one song.'

Raising a finger to show his own concession, Keima was not prepared for the physical contact that he had somehow 'earned' when both Chihiro and Ayumi squealed and hugged him tightly.

'Alright!'

'Thank you, Keima-kun!"

Of course, they broke off the hug almost immediately, their rapidly reddening faces turning away from him when Miyako wolf-whistled and commented loudly to the three of them.

'Getting a little lovey-dovey there, aren't we? Can I pick a song for Katsuragi-kun too?~'  
Winking to Keima, Terada Miyako's smile got even wider when Keima simply straightened his collar and took up the microphone from Chihiro with no hurry or fuss.

'Elsi, would you pick a song for me?'

Walking over to the surprised girl, Keima gently passed her the index in a gesture that surprised the other girls; and the little demon gratefully took it with a hint of pink glowing on her face.

'Yes, Kami-Onii-sama~ I'll pick a good one for you~'

Any of the other girls would die to be allowed to pick a song for him, but this showed how much Keima trusted Elsi, as she would not pick a song that would embarrass him at all.

Smiling, Elsi picked the Opening Theme of one of Keima's favorite games and again showcasing how much Elsi knew about Keima, picked the specific one that had a male singer, much to his surprise.

It also reflected how much Elsi knew about Keima; as her choice was the best possible one, making Keima smile back at her gladly.

'Thank you, Elsi.'

'Ehee~~ Kami-Onii-sama! I want to hear you sing this song too!'

..

..

It seemed that he had appeased her a little, and he nodded to Elsi as the song started playing and he followed suit the moment the lyrics appeared on the screen; all the girls hanging on to his every word.

* * *

..

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'That sure was great!'

All the girls had fun and even Keima did, to some degree as all the ice was broken within the group. It now felt that Keima had been in the group all along and it felt right somehow to have him there as well.

Without him there something would be missing… Yes it would have been a cynical and calculating, not to mention blunt part of the group but it was necessary as well. Someone had to be the rational mind that dissuaded them from doing silly things, not to mention the one who could offer them advice when they needed it the most.

He was a person that helped to stabilize the group's antics and yet somehow allowed them to have more fun as well!

'It sure was, Ayumi-chan~'

Elsi was all smiles and Ayumi was very glad of that, it would never do if Elsi got mad at her over what she herself had said to Elsi earlier.

Upon careful reflection, she realized too late that she had not been very tactful with her words and had been horrible at handling the situation. Even if it was impossible for Elsi to like Keima in a _romantic_ kind of way, it was possible for Elsi to have mistaken her words and interpreted it to be akin to Elsi not been allowed to like Keima in any way at all.

It was a horrible misunderstanding but Elsi had been surprisingly forgiving of her mistake after Ayumi had cornered the other girl while she was getting drinks to apologize to her.

..

..

_'Elsi-chan, I didn't mean what I said! I'm so sorry! I know Elsi likes Keima-kun very much and I said such horrible things to you! Please forgive me!'_

It would not have been surprising if Elsi had gotten very upset at herself for that and although she doubted that it would destroy their friendship if she did not apologize like that, Ayumi knew that trust and understanding between each other was a value that Keima valued.

Finally, she had to mention once again that she felt very bad about it, thus explaining why she had sought out Elsi to apologize to her so quickly after realizing that she had said something so horrible and thoughtless.

'_Ayumi-chan… Thank you… I was upset but now that Ayumi-chan had apologized to me, there's no reason for me to be at Ayumi-chan anymore… As long as Ayumi-chan understands and forgive me too~'_

_'H-hai?'_

Ayumi had not quite understood what Elsi had meant at the end, but she had nodded her head eagerly at being forgiven by her.

But Elsi's words had bothered her a great deal though even if she had not really understood what she meant in the end.

Elsi was a very forgiving girl after all, but it felt odd having her being so… light hearted over something so serious. She was very upset at her earlier, right?

..

..

'I enjoyed myself very much too. We should come here again and soon, together of course.'

Smiling as she watched Keima pay for the drinks and the fee for the session earlier, Miyako felt a little guilty at having him pay for everything for them today. Were they taking them all out for a group date?

Or was it simply a little outing to raise morale after what they went through several days ago?

Either way it was a welcome change and a well deserved break and she could confidently say that all of them were enjoying themselves very much despite the earlier 'activities' of getting into a fight and their earlier grueling practice session.

'We should! Let's do it after the audition, how about that?'

Another person that was in High spirits was Chihiro but she was happy for another reason, she had heard Keima sing, something that she had hoped but not believed was possible.

Yes, the choice of song itself was a disappointment, but his voice wasn't. It was just like how she imagined it to be.

He had very good vocal controls but the most important part was that he sounded damn sexy while singing as he was able to do what he had demanded them to do:

..

..

_To let the audience feel the emotion of the singer that was singing the song._

_ .._

_.._

She was moved by his 'performance'. and he looked as though he was in another world when singing, his focus strictly on the song and he seemed to disregard the lyrics totally as he sang the song from memory. It made her feel a little more insignificant as well as growing her respect for Keima as he had surpassed her wildest dreams.

It made her wonder if she could ever reach that kind of standard or that if she looked like that when she was singing. It'll be awesome if she could achieve even a half of the focus Keima had!

Even if he could only express the emotions part and was pretty bad at the actual singing part… his voice control was excellent but he just didn't have the vocal range for some parts that the song required and he simply sang the song in the constant monotone voice.

It still was impressive though, in a way… and she couldn't quite understand why Ayumi and Terada had to run out of the room with their hands clamped over their ears.

His vocal style was unique! Desho?

..

..

'Only after we pass the first round of auditions, everyone.'

Keima brought them back down to earth and reality with his somber remark, putting his card back into his wallet and adjusted his glasses soon after. But his statement brought about the opposite effect, the girls were more pumped up then ever and simply nodded their heads in agreement.

'We definitely will, won't we~'

'Of course we will! The audition will be held next week desho? Shall we meet in the weekend to practise?'

'Mm… but how are we going to practice without the equipment?'

Discussing amongst themselves about their plans, Katsuragi Keima found himself strangely touched by the amount of effort they were putting in and he was glad that he made the decision to help them after all.

By stretching his imagination a little he could perhaps accept the girls as a living personification of one of the games that he played, the one where he was the manager of a group of budding girl band as well.

It was a very rough fit, but he supposed that they did have the 'Sisterhood' part of the Three S', done very well. All it needed was some incident to happen within the ranks, discord and disharmony and the latter reunion to really resemble the game.

Of course Keima was not fond of betting against Murphy's Law, but that did not mean he will be resigned to his fate if it really happened.

There were things he could do, spreading his attention out evenly, being very genre savvy and of course, making sure that nothing happened between the girls because of him.

..

..

It is a long shot, but right now he was really enjoying himself.

'Did you enjoy yourself, Kami-Onii-sama?'

Smiling as she sidled beside him, Elsi smiled happy when Keima nodded his head in reply.

'Yes, it is a nice change. If you succeed in passing the Audition in full, there is no reason for me not to reward all of you with a similar outing.'

He smiled and most of the girls present felt their knees weaken for a second as he really did smile towards them, pulling his gaze away from the game that he held in his hands, not a fake or forced one, but one that was genuine and filled with sincerity for spending time with him today.

'Alright! We'll have to work harder then!'

Pumping her hands in her trademark pose, Chihiro grinned when the other girls followed her lead, cheering in unison while Keima simply crossed his arms and nodded.

'Let us pave the road to the Mai-High festival, the only obstacle right now is yourself.'

Nodding in agreement to his words, they headed for home together, hearts and soul joined as one.

* * *

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_The girl that was supposed to be one of the heroines was working hard by herself practicing her dance routines. There had been a marked change in her attitude, as noticed by her various instructors._

_She was more hard-working then ever but her focus seemed to be unwavering, putting her instructors in an awkward position when she pushed herself further than she was supposed to._

_If she continued to work and train at this pace, her health would undoubtedly be affected._

_All of that came at a price though, her normally cheerful attitude was replaced with something akin to urgency and her staff was unable to understand why she was feeling this way._

_All of them of course, except her manager._

_She knew everything about Kanon and she picked up on the hints after having dinner at the Katsuragi Household._

_Despite the manager's best efforts to dissuade her charge, Kanon had remained steadfast and resolute in her decision and her choice of a partner._

_It was beyond her own abilities to persuade Kanon on the matters of the heart and indeed it was with heavy resignation did she give it up for a lost cause. If anything, it would only persuade Kanon to perform and work even harder to compensate for the lack of 'ability' that her desired partner has._

_Doing research on Keima, she herself had been tremendously disappointed with his lack of 'abilities' as school results aside, he was hardly active in any circles._

_It would be preferable if Kanon had chosen someone from an established sports club, heck, as long as he had participated in a district wide event just once, it would have been acceptable._

_But she had to choose someone who had nothing to his name and with a bad reputation in school._

_ .._

_.._

_An Otamegane was not worthy of becoming an Idol's partner, even if he had started to make amends and was 'managing' a budding girl's band lately. Either way, she would have to have a talk with this Katsuragi Keima, a very long and meaningful one._

_'Manager-san, let us continue!'_

_Hearing Kanon call out to her, she turned and smiled at Kanon before nodding, checking Kanon's calendar for her schedule. There was perhaps time for her to go back to school next week conveniently for the Audition that was going to be held for the Mai-High Festival's performances._

_She knew that Kanon had refused many high-profile jobs in order for her to get the day off, but she herself figured it would be a good idea for herself to be there as well._

_Meeting the 'competition' of the other girls might give Kanon a wake up call…_

_Kanon was above his league, they would never be able to coexist together, that is the truth… why can't she see it for herself?_

_Perhaps like the all say, Love is blind after all._

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_**Author's Note: R&R! It would help me to get motivation to write! Oh right, if you do have a Costume set design for the 2B Pencils, send it to me!~~**_


	35. A Visit

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 35: A Visit**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Thanks to _dongaro _for the edit and beta-read! Thank you for all your support. My poll is important too! Oh, yes, I know I'm behind schedule on Sorrel's Teasing.. but Look forward to more random updates and new stories!**

**If you wish for a reply to your review, INCLUDE YOUR EMAIL! I can't answer everything, one liners are difficult, but if there is enough stuff for me to reply to, I'll reply within a few days~ So yes, you, the one unsigned reviewer, add an email!**

**AYUMI FANS REJOICE!  
**

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_Of course, life is not as perfect as one would imagine it to be… Keima did not know it but there was another person behind the scenes; the hardworking and selfless devil by the name of Haqua du Lot Herminium._

_Besides conducting some discreet investigations, covering up the mess that was created by her two 'friends', Haqua had also paid special attention to her best friend, Elsi._

_After the previous incident, Haqua had discovered a terrible secret that she had to keep from Keima; but she should have expected that like everything that has happened since she came to the human world, something had screwed up._

_'…'_

_Another thing that she was marveling at was Keima's ability to build a harem; as well as his ability in general. She knew from first-hand experience that Keima was a very talented person, capable in multi-tasking and achieving things that were beyond her expectations._

_Not to mention that he had one of the best game plans in the world, his plans on achieving his goals might not be obvious at the start, but they were effective._

_But she never expected him to be able to uncover the 'truth' by accident in that way. Did he plan it all, or was him bringing them to that shop just a coincidence?_

_Either way, she was glad that he was doing something and not just having fun, for he sure looked like he was having lots of fun being with the girls!_

_Yes, Haqua knew that he was trying to appease and prevent the gaps in the girl's heart from widening and enabling them to be prime targets for Weiss yet again._

_Even so, even so it is still frustrating to see them having so much fun while she was occupied with work… yes, work as she had found something troubling during their interactions together._

_… it has happened again and this time Haqua was not sure if she should interfere again._

_There were limits to every demon's ability, just like how everyone has their own inherent talent and ability, and if it has come to this straits, perhaps it's too difficult even for her to handle as well?_

_Is it about time, to allow nature to take it's course and just… pray for him to make the right mistakes._

_..  
_

_Biting her lip, Haqua, a New Devil, prayed to a God, not the **Capturing God** but another god to take pity on her predicament and to give them their blessings._

_They were going to need it._

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_

It was good to be home, and Keima immediately wished he could go back into his games immediately after finishing dinner. Mari was in a good mood, claiming that business had gotten much better since news got out that Kanon had dinner at Café Grandpa.

It was fortunate that Mari did not seem too upset to learn they will be going to have more guests over for dinner. Like they had stated earlier, Chihiro had been invited to dinner by Maria and it seems that Ayumi and Miyako had tagged along as well without getting an invitation.

Although initially surprised at having so many guests over, Katsuragi Mari had rallied eagerly when Keima brought in many more groceries than she had planned for.

'Alright, it seems that I can cook up a frenzy today! This is the first time that Keima and Elsi-chan brought friends back for dinner. So don't worry girls, we won't make you go hungry today~!'

Hearing her enthusiastic response, the girls of 2B Pencils cheered and bowed to her in thanks, Elsi included of course.

'Thank you very much!'

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Of course, the girls did not just sit around waiting for food, all of them chipped in the best they could. Mari knew Elsi was very good with preparing the ingredients, with supervision of course, and as Ayumi is pretty good with cooking as well, she teamed up with Elsi to prepare the ingredients for dinner.

Chihiro and Miyako weren't talented in that particular department and were resigned to helping to set the dishes, firstly they had to enlist Keima's in setting up a big table in the middle of the café for tonight's dinner before they could begin, resulting in the three of them being together.

Everyone was excited, with the exception of Keima; he wanted to game terribly but in front of the 2B Pencils he had to act the part, be the part of their manager and doing that required at least some etiquette… not to mention that he is currently the Master of the House and he had to greet the guests with the right attitude.

That meant the girls were treated to a Keima that is very foreign to Mari, one that is remarkably patient and helpful, not to mention accommodating.

His behavior had shocked Mari when Kanon and her manager had stopped by for dinner and she was thankful that Keima had the sense to be the model host for their guests.

But she had expected that behavior to be a one-off deal and Mari certainly didn't expect Keima to have any female friends, especially girls that were the same age as him.

It was almost too much for her and she felt like celebrating and throwing a party!

Oh wait, she was! This is going to be the best party this block had seen in years!

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..

_'Neh, don't you think… Mari-san is cooking… too much?'_

_Looking at the volume of food that Elsi and Ayumi were preparing, the two girls were coping remarkably well due to Elsi being very proficient with a knife. This was shockingly to Chihiro, who was helping Miyako fold napkins in preparation for dinner._

_'I didn't imagine that Elsi-chan could be so… good in the kitchen. Heh, it makes me feel kind of embarrassed for only barely being able to cook …'_

_'Well, Elsi-chan did say she is good at housework and in cooking. She baked a fabulous cake once during Home Economics, remember? You should remember as you ate about half of it… heh.'_

_Miyako smiled as she teased Chihiro, looking over to Keima who was getting the cups and a pitcher of water to set on the table._

_'Neh, Katsuragi-kun, is today a special day? Mari-san seems to be cooking too much even for Chihiro-chan~'_

_'H-hey, hey! I'm no glutton! It's just that I have a sweet tooth.'_

_Chihiro crossed her arms while nodding her head, but she blushed immediately when Miyako quipped almost instantly._

_'Not just one, Chihiro-chan, not just one~~ I think you have many sweet teeth~~ Seeing how quickly you polished off Elsi's cake~'_

_'Hmm… you should watch your weight if you are taking lots of sugar, Chihiro…'_

_Keima was blunt as always but he salvaged the situation immediately by coughing discretely and mentioning that as long as one can moderate one's intake, it did not hurt to pamper oneself once in a while._

_'However, I must say that I do not approve of binge eating as a way to relieve stress, if you do feel stressed out by the pressures that I have placed on any one of you, feel free to mail or call me.'_

_He nodded to the two of them and they enthusiastically took down Keima's number and mailing address._

_'However, if you can't sleep at night, please do not call me… I would only advice you to count sheep.'_

_He noted that the two girls blinked for a second before giggling amongst themselves._

_'Ehh~ Katsuragi counts sheep to get yourself to sleep~'_

_'That's something I've haven't heard for years, Katsuragi-kun!'_

_'… Is there something wrong with my metaphor?'_

_Blinking in confusion, Keima did not realize that the girls found it fresh and nice that Keima was actually engaging them in small talk; at least, something similar to small talk and they appreciated him for it even more._

* * *

_..  
_

_..  
_

_'… Ayumi-chan, desho?'_

_Smiling as she turned back to the two girls helping her, Katsuragi Mari was beside herself with joy in seeing her son, the son that she knew to be anti-social and obsessed with gaming, engage in normal conversation with people other than her or Elsi and she could not help but wish to know more about his and Elsi's friends._

_'Hai, Takahara Ayumi desu!'_

_Tensing up, Ayumi smiled awkwardly when Mari appraised her for a moment, taking time to memorize her face before speaking to her again._

_'Ayumi-chan, you are classmates with Keima-kun and Elsi-chan , desho? Thank you for being friends with the two of them, especially Keima-kun… he's never had any friends come over at all… this is the first time that he brought friends over… Ayumi-chan, is friends with Keima-kun and Elsi-chan, right?'_

_Hoping that she wasn't mistaken, Mari was relieved and excited when she noticed how Ayumi had a small blush on her face when she nodded wordlessly before replying._

_'Hai, we are both friends and classmates, Mari-san.'_

_.._

_..  
_

_But at the same time, Mari couldn't help but feel a little complicated at the situation. She adored Elsi-chan even though she was not her real daughter, the child bore no crime, that horny male who did that was the one at fault; after all and Elsi was such an adorable child after all that one could not help but like her…_

_Mari knew that Keima had changed due to Elsi. Having a sister might have made him more protective towards her and as a result conscious to other peoples' feelings. Or perhaps it was that Elsi just had a positive influence on him, she was a cheerful girl and that rubs off people around her easily after all._

_Whatever the reason, Mari was very thankful for Elsi coming into her life, she was a good daughter and one that was now indispensable in the home, especially with the increase in customers due to Elsi as well._

_She was so well-liked and perfect that Mari felt safe and happy to hand Keima over to her, literally and figuratively. Even if Elsi had some flaws in that she was a little too innocent and a tad childish, Mari knew that Keima took great care of her from behind the scenes._

_She would never have imagined that Keima could do that and thus she would be quite happy if the two of them would continue to stay together in the long term._

_It might… just work out._

_.._

_..  
_

_But now, seeing how Keima had different admirers, Mari found herself in a difficult position. She would like Keima to be there for Elsi, she herself knew that without Keima's guidance, harsh as it was, Elsi could not possibly last long in this dog eat dog world._

_She'd likely be taken advantage off by unscrupulous people and it was the same for Keima. Even if he was a genius, there was a limit to how he would be accepted in society… Mari did not want to constantly worry about the two of them after all as they would have to grow up eventually._

_If Keima had another partner, how much would he change?_

_..  
_

_'That's great, Ayumi-chan, please continue to be friends with Keima-kun and Elsi-chan… he might be rude, but he was such a kind boy when he was young…'_

_Placing one hand on her chin as she reminisced about the past, Mari failed to see Ayumi's eyes glinting with mischief. It is such a good opportunity to hear about Keima's past that she cut herself with the knife and winced in pain._

_'AH! Ayumi-chan!'_

_Noticing her plight, which was not that difficult as Ayumi was bleeding quite badly, Elsi rushed to her while Mari called out for Keima to get the first-aid kit._

_'Hurry, Keima-kun!'_

* * *

_..  
_

_..  
_

Ayumi's cut wasn't deep but Keima made sure that she had it cleaned and disinfected before bandaging it. Of course, he reassured her that it should be fine to take the bandage off in a day, and to replace it with a Plaster.

'It won't affect your playing much, if you're worried, Takahara.'

Answering her question in a gentle voice, Keima straightened his back and went off to keep the first aid kit, leaving Ayumi sitting in the chair in a daze, red suffusing her face as Keima had just held her hand and whispered sweet nothings to her in front of everyone else.

Of course, Chihiro was a little upset, at that but she tried her best not to show it, instead she went ahead and volunteered to help Mari-san with the preparations.

Elsi however, was more transparent with her unhappiness, something that both Miyako and surprisingly, Mari noticed as the little demon had stomped off quickly after seeing Keima treat Ayumi's wound, and had vented her frustrations by chopping up the vegetables for dinner.

She had done it with so much zeal and concentration that she worked through the pile of vegetables in no time at all, leaving Chihiro with barely anything to work with as she waited for Mari to begin cooking dinner.

..

'L-let's get started, Elsi-chan, Chihiro-chan~'

Trying to lighten the mood somewhat, Mari took the hint and quickly turned on the stove top, ready to start the proceedings and of course, the party!

* * *

..

..

Keima sighed as he sat down in the living room, exhausted from carrying a few cartons of drinks from the storage area out back, and he was immediately greeted by Ayumi, who offered him a drink while explaining that the other girls were now helping to serve the food up.

'Mari-san said that she asked Elsi to bring Haqua-san over as well… Elsi-chan is really close with Haqua-san… neh? Does Keima know her from a long way back too?'

'She's Elsi's childhood friend, the two of them had been close as they studied together… Haqua, she's a friend of mine yes… but I didn't know her that well.'

Making sure that his statement was consistent with Elsi's current cover, Keima was a little guarded against answering many questions, but he thawed a little when Ayumi looked around and commented that she didn't know that Keima stayed in a café; it just didn't suit him.

'I didn't think you can wait on tables, Keima-kun… and Mari-san is such a good mother, she looks really nice…'

Ayumi quipped on and Keima just listened to her say a bit more before replying.

'I don't really help out in the restaurant much, but if it is a necessity, I offer my services as well. My mum… allows me the freedom that I desire and wish to have. I am respectful to her, even if sometimes she can be a nag… '

'Aren't all mothers like that, Keima-kun?'

Yes, that is certainly true… Did she say something about me? I saw her talking with you and Elsi for quite a while.'

Hoping that Mari didn't get any ideas, Keima watched and sighed internally as Ayumi turned red briefly as she looked away, unsure what to say to him about what Mari discussed with her.

..

..

'Mari-san she… wanted me to continue to be friends with you, Keima-kun… I knew you were always a good person, Keima-kun… People just need to be given a chance to prove themselves…

I'm glad that everyone else gave you a chance... to be our manager, Keima-kun.'

'I didn't know you had so much faith in me, Takahara. For that, I thank you.'

He nodded and smiled at Ayumi and the poor girl felt that her heart would literally jump out of her chest right now as Keima looked at her closely.

'N-no… thank you, Keima-kun… for believing in me all this time.'

Ayumi lowered her head briefly before looking up back into his eyes, tears welling up around them as she tried to keep her emotion in track.

'… I… Keima-kun, you helped me then… and you continued to help me now… it's just so unfair that I can't help you in turn… I always believed in you, Keima-kun… so, when you came back… to help us when we needed it.. I.. I just…'

Sobbing softly now, Keima watched her cry while looking around, checking to see if anyone else noticed Ayumi breaking down like this in front of her.

If there was, it would be prudent to back away, if they were alone…

That would be even more dangerous, wouldn't it?

..

..

'I just… hoped that you'll keep your promise, Keima-kun… to watch over me… like you always did… like I hoped you did…'

Deciding that it was better for Ayumi to finish her words, Keima looked at her seriously, holding his breath while raising and placing his hand on her shoulder hesitantly to offer some comfort for her.

It would not do for him to get too close to Ayumi, but at the same time, if he broke her heart… the whole band might collapse.

'I'm sorry for being a little selfish, Takahara.'

'P-pardon me, Keima-kun?'

'…'

Keima found it difficult at the start, but once he started speaking, he just couldn't stop. Perhaps he had a soft spot for Ayumi, perhaps he was saying his true feelings to her.

'I did not think about your feelings then, and I didn't think of your feelings now. I was being selfish as… I thought that you'll be stronger, without me pulling you back.'

His honest words, or another elaborate trick from one of his games?

One wouldn't know, as he himself didn't know as well.

'… I did not want you to rely on me all the time as my reputation would only have harmed you… but at the same time, I wished and hoped that you will use your memory of me to give you strength.

I guess I was being selfish… to expect both to happen at the same time.'

Keima realized that it was a modification of the excuse that he gave Kanon, in essence it is exactly the same… perhaps it is the truth and his best excuse at the same time after all.

He is the **Capturing God**, he exists in another plane altogether and it is not feasible for he to be paired up with anyone without any concessions. That is why he has to give the girls up, to create a gap between them, even if they might be his 'type', even if they might give up everything to be with him.

Katsuragi Keima, was not a selfish person and he would rather have the girls live their life without his influence.

That is his decision and it would be final, he did not want the girls to be harmed in anyway due to his stubbornness or his status. Broken hearts can heal after all, but one's image… might never recover.

'I'm sorry, Ayumi… for hurting you the way I did. If you do not forgive me for what I did, that is understandable. I am not asking for forgiveness or for understanding…

All I wish, is for you to live your life the way I helped you to remember, the way that you want it to be.'

..

..

In a way, it was the same reason he gave Kanon as well, the **Capturing God **is impartial, he does not favor one girl over another if he could help it.

Like his name, all he wished for the girls was for them to be happy, to watch over them from behind them, in the shadows as they achieved their _Happy End_.

Even if he was not by their side at the finishing line, all he wished was to pull them up when they are down and to send them off again. He would always be the one that will never be rewarded except by seeing the girl's happy smiles.

* * *

**Author's Notes: I still might need another Beta-reader to help with my older chapters.. I don't want to overwork my current one. R&R Please!  
**


	36. Reminiscing

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 36: Reminiscing**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

** ..**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Note: Thanks to _dongaro_ and his beta-reading and editing. I'm still looking for a beta-reader! Apply now as I'm driving him nuts!  
**

* * *

..

..

_'I'm sorry, Ayumi… for hurting you the way I did. If you do not forgive me for what I did, that is understandable. I am not asking for forgiveness or for understanding…'_

_Takahara Ayumi heard him say that to her and she looked down, while considering a reply, some words that would be of comfort to him and of comfort to her as well._

_Although she could not quite get over the fact that Katsuragi Keima had abandoned her and for the most part, ignored and thrown away many opportunities that he had to reconcile with her in the past…_

_The fact was that perhaps the time spent away from him had made her feelings stronger as well._

_It was all too easy to fall in love with the wrong person for the wrong reasons, due to some things that he might have done for her. Especially so for a girl like her, accustomed to being hit on by some guys, she was perhaps easily impressed by the 'unexpected and surprising' things that he did for her._

_So it was perhaps fortunate that she had time to muse over her feelings and her thoughts on what could be, what could have worked and of course, what had went wrong between the two of them._

_It had made her mature and surer of herself with that long and lengthy period between the two of them meeting again._

_Another thing to be thankful for was that she started this conversation only after learning more about him. How much did she know about Katsuragi Keima anyway? _

_.._

_..  
_

_Not much really, she only knew that he was a nerd and he had a sister that was very very nice._

_That's about all… unless you counted the time that he taught her English and the many times that he was with Elsi while they walked to class._

_She could slowly paint a better picture of Katsuragi Keima with the things that she learnt from their few short days together. That he was actually a very considerate person, one with broad knowledge, and of course, one who had many sides of him that he wished to conceal._

_And Ayumi was fine with that… similar to how she only viewed Keima in a negative light most of the time, she was happy and embarrassed that Keima viewed her in a positive light most of the time instead._

_It made her feel a little embarrassed too once she thought about that. For all his faults that she imagined him to have, he never once criticized her about her faults… he would only offer suggestions that would help her to improve._

_He had done many incredible things for her, and her friends; and it was unfair for him to continue to feel burdened and to feel bad about what he had done._

_Especially so when one considered that if he was speaking the truth all this while, he was only doing that to protect them from himself and the reputation that he carried._

_There were many crosses that he had to bear and he had to bear them by himself, with Elsi by his side._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_Speaking of which, that meant that Elsi was in a way his all this time, and Ayumi felt a pang of jealousy for the girl despite knowing full well that Elsi was his sister._

_It was time for someone to forgive him and to lessen his burden for a little, even if was minute, she did want Keima to know that she forgave him. For all this he had done, not done and wanted to do… she wanted to believe, to understand and to accept him._

_For all his mysterious ways, the many different personalities that he hid behind that same cool exterior, Katsuragi Keima had never truly hurt her._

_He had believed in her, just like she had believed in her… and despite all the hardship, Ayumi felt that it was worth it._

_As she had learnt things that she wouldn't have known without questioning herself, him and of the foggy memory that she only recently regained._

_So, there was only one thing left for her to say. Just three words that would mean very much to him and to her as well._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_'I forgive you.'_

_Not the other three words, those… she would have to gather more courage to say that to him at a later date, when she decided that he was indeed the one._

_'Takahara…'_

_He has remained silent while she was arranging her thoughts and he seemed surprised and relieved at the same time at hearing her confident but soft reply._

_'You did… some horrible things to me by leaving me alone. But you did wonderful things as well when we were together, whether alone or together with all of us. I… forgive you, Keima-kun. _

_Because I think, and I believe that… you are sincere in your words, sincere in your words of not wishing to hurt me, or anyone else… and most importantly…'_

_She lowered her head as she muttered softly, face red from having to say that to him._

_'I believe what you said… of you meaning to watch over me, protecting me… thinking about me… is the truth. Will you, continue to do that even now?'_

_Hinting about something beneath her words, Takahara Ayumi leaned closer to the **Capturing God** as he crossed his arms and looked back at her._

_..  
_

_..  
_

_'I promised… I will do that, to the 2B Pencils, and to you, Takahara… Even if nothing might come out of it in the end, I will still not give up on all of you. It is… not real love, but I will do anything for you.'_

_His last words made her feel a disappointed, but she still rallied her feelings with a wide smile when Katsuragi Mari called them over to help serve up the food. Feelings can change, things can never say definite… and that meant she still had a chance!_

_'We will see, Keima-kun!'_

_Grabbing his hand, Takahara Ayumi pulled him along as she raced to the kitchen where her friends and rivals awaited!_

* * *

_..  
_

_..  
_

_'Hai~'_

_Passing a bowl of rice to Ayumi on behalf of Mari-san, Kosaka Chihiro found herself a little overwhelmed by the atmosphere. She had never experienced a family meal like this for a long time, or even ever at that._

_These past few days with Katsuragi Keima and his sister had changed her perspective about life once again. For as long as she remembered, she had gone through life like a normal girl._

_Not standing out, and feeling contented with staying that way, as the saying goes: "If it isn't brokne, why fix it?", she had no ambition and zero hope that she could break that deadlock of being normal._

_And for a very very long time, she had been content that way… until her chance and freak meeting with Katsuragi Keima._

_The boy could be said to be similar to her and not similar to her at the same time… but what most stood out about him was his words and what he told her that day._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_'**You can do it. If it's Chihiro, then certainly you can do it… Reality is no match for you. If you ever get stuck again, I'll be there to help you.'**_

**_ ..._**

**_..  
_**

_She had felt energized and hopeful that perhaps she could stand out a little too, to show others that she was different. Perhaps one metaphor that could be used to describe her was that she was like the Ugly Duckling._

_Wishing, hoping, wanting to stand out… even just a little among her peers._

_That was then, her energy and enthusiasm along with the promise from the boy had made her seem like she could conquer the world._

_Reality though, was much harsher than that and she found herself losing steam after barely cobbling a band together._

_They had tried their best, but their enthusiasm was dented with numerous failures… what made it worse was the feeling that the boy would not keep his promise._

_But now he was back and Chihiro found herself being able to believe again in her own ability and her own desire to shine. It might just be a fluke, and he might run away again, but for now… it was alright for her to believe in herself once again, right?_

_She had forgiven and accepted him after all…_

_It had been a while since she had been focused in anything at all, and she found herself wondering then if this was the sense of accomplishment that Ayumi felt every time she finished her race._

_That feeling of joy and exhilaration that she would get every time they ended a practice session, how it felt so good despite the sweat, grime and the sore throat from her singing._

_But now, only after Katsuragi Keima returned to help, offering his assistance did Chihiro really realize how happy she felt in a group._

_.._

_ ..  
_

_Chihiro really could not call herself a special person, but she could not help but find her family to be a little mundane and… not like a family at all._

_Seeing Elsi with Keima made her feel a little jealous of their relationship as she did not share that kind of close bond with her parents and family. She did not come from a dysfunctional family, just a very normal one…_

_Simply put, they weren't that close and Chihiro found herself relying on her close friends more often than not, calling them to chat and going out with them turned out to be the norm and a comfort to her from the lonely nights that she would spend in her room._

_But now that they had presumably bonded together like sisters, Chihiro felt like her life up till now had been in black and white… and that her life was now only beginning to be filled with color._

_She did not know how much fun it was to be with her close friends; just simply talking to them made her day brighter._

_Yes, Ayumi and Miyako had been her good friends before then… but there had been a wall between them that they were not able to break… and Chihiro had been only been able to speak to them about the most trivial and random things._

_Topics under the sun that were interesting enough to draw responses… but now, it was different and Chihiro found herself being able to feel happy just being in their company._

_It did not matter what they talked about, she felt engaged into their conversation, felt like she belonged with them and she had a stake, a say to what they are talking about as well._

_It was a wonderful feeling… and she found herself agreeing to the saying:_

_.._

_ ..  
_

**_Friends, are the people that you can spend time doing nothing with, and feel happy about that._**

**_ .._**

**_..  
_**

_More than anything else, she had found true friends, found her passion with his help, his guidance… and Kosaka Chihiro found her face turning redder then ever as she sat directly opposite the boy who made it all happen._

_The one who lit the spark in her life, to enable her to live life fully, the way she wanted it._

* * *

_..  
_

_..  
_

Of course Katsuragi Mari was happy, she could not be happier meeting her darling son's friends, and for all of them to sit around the table made her feel a warmth that she had not felt since her husband left on that business trip.

'Eat up, everyone~"

With that, everyone tucked into the food that she and Elsi prepared. She had felt bad that the guests needed to help but in the end it was only with their help that they were able to finish in time for dinner.

After all, it would not do for them to keep them too late and Mari dug in as well after seeing Keima, ever the slow eater begin to eat without his gaming console today.

It made her doubly happy that Keima was not playing his games at all, and she recognized the positive influence that the girls were having on him. It would be nice to have him back in 'reality' again as opposed to getting lost in his games.

She had given up on her being able to make him give up his games. Indeed it would be a miracle for him to do so, but he had placed it aside, even if only momentarily, to join in dinner with all of them.

'Eat more, Keima-kun~"

Pushing some food into his bowl, Keima nodded but seemed a little flustered when Elsi did the same.

'Elsi…'

..

..

'Eheh~ Kami-Onii-sama mustn't pick on his food.'

Smiling happily as she started eating herself, the dinner table was quite quiet until Chihiro broke the dike and started praising Mari-san about the food.

'Mari-san, you're super incredible! I knew that you cooked very well, but this is much much better than what I had last time!'

'Oh dear, you're making me blush~'

'Hai hai~~ Ohka-sama is a very good chef! She's the owner of Café Grampa after all~ she's very popular here~'

Singing praises about Mari, the two girls were interrupted when Miyako spoke up, looking at Chihiro curiously.

..

'Ano, did Chihiro-chan come here before?'

It was news to her as well as Ayumi, as they thought that this were all their first time visiting Elsi and by extension, Keima's home that they were shocked to hear that Chihiro was here before.

Well, they had thought that Mari-san had met Chihiro with Elsi somewhere and invited her over but never did they imagined that Chihiro had been here before them.

'Ahaha~ I was here a few days ago… visiting Elsi-chan.'

Chihiro knew that it was probably a good idea to keep what happened that day a secret… Elsi had been very upset that day and well, it was no good digging up the past when it wouldn't do any good at the moment.

'Oh…'

Sounding a little suspicious, Ayumi nonetheless did not spoil the mood by saying anything, and continued digging in; while Miyako and Chihiro stirred up the atmosphere by chatting about the recent TV shows that they watched and about food that they wanted to try.

All of which engaged the entire table save for Keima, who was occupied with his PFP as he had just gotten a mail from someone very special, Nakagawa Kanon, and he thought for a moment before opening the mail.

..

..

_'Good Evening, Keima-kun, how are you? I'm doing fine and I'm working hard with my dance routines as well today. The instructor says that I've improved greatly and I'll be doing my first dance and singing solo at the Mai-High Festival~ I'm sure it will be very exciting! I hope to see you there attending my concert too! _

_Say hello to Elsi-chan for me, I will send an autographed Single CD to her soon! I hope that I will have the chance to see you on the day of the audition for the Festival as well, Keima-kun! _

_– Love, Nakagawa Kanon_

_P.s: Oh, Keima-kun… it's the weekend soon desho? C-Can I be selfish and ask to see you over the weekend?'_

_ .._

_..  
_

Sounding more like a letter one would send to a pen-pal, with the exception of the tiny note at the end, Keima nonetheless took it in stride; as he considered how to reply the message. Usually in games there would be a fixed amount of lines that were available to choose from, one that is neutral, one that is beneficial and one that will actually hurt the relationship.

In real life however, one didn't have such luxury, so and he would have to pen it delicately, not hinting nor discouraging Kanon at all. Should he actually meet up with her in the weekend? Common sense dictated no, but as he had been showing quite the cold shoulder to her, perhaps it would be alright… just this once.

Just as he was ready to reply back to her, Keima heard the doorbell ring and he got up to get the door. It would give him some privacy as well, which would be perfect for sending this message out.

However, he was a little surprised that they were getting any visitors and so he quickly headed to the door, wondering who it was.

'Oh…'

..

..

It was Haqua and she looked a little pissed at seeing him at the door.

'What's wrong… are you expecting someone else? Kanon, perhaps?'

Dryly asking him as she pushed her way in, Haqua paused when she saw the number of shoes in the shoe rack and she raised an eyebrow while stating the truth to him.

'Building a harem?'

'Whatever you say, Haqua.'

Of course, Keima was used to Haqua being vicious with her words, but lately she seemed to be even more so, targeting him in places that he was unable to retort back due to him currently being in a mission.

'I hope you have been taking care of Elsi, Katsuragi… I won't forgive you a second time.'

Picking up the scythe that she had left resting against the rack, Haqua accompanied him back to the dinner table and she bowed to all of them politely.

'I'm sorry for intruding…'

'Please, sit down, Haqua, you're a guest~ Will Keima-kun serve some water to her, please?'

Asking him politely, Mari just smiled weakly when Haqua crossed her arms and sat down on Keima's chair, pushing his bowl away while pulling a stool for him to sit on instead.

'I would like some cold drinks please~ More with the ice, Keima~~'

Ordering him around, Haqua smirked when Mari didn't actively stop her as she just chided her for ordering Keima like that. It seemed that Mari really valued the guests to their household that much and Keima sighed, knowing that he would had to keep this up for quite some time; he has to show proper respect to the guests after all.

But he hoped that they don't push the envelope too much… everyone has their breaking point after all.

..

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Oh, if you get the references, you get a cookie. And a promise to update faster and play less Catherine =) Lastly, I'm releasing this without the final stamp of approval from _dongaro,_ so expect a few minor changes here and there.  
**


	37. Turning Back

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 37: Turning Back**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Each Ending is different and important, desho? Thanks to _dongaro_ and _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta-read! He'll be my dedicated Beta-read for Azalea Side. So if there are more errors, BLAME HIM!  
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Keima cursed silently at hearing his mother reveal so much, especially about Kanon and he looked at each individual to gauge their reaction. All of them would be shocked, they did know that Kanon-chan visited Café Grampa but they did not think that they would visit because of Keima? Or was it?

Clearing his throat, Keima explained on behalf of Mari as he returned with Haqua's drink. The demon girl in question just looked at him smugly, wondering how he would deal with this sensitive affair.

'Kanon came to visit Elsi; she and Kanon were friends and she invited her to dinner. She came over yesterday.'

Sitting down, he returned to eating as if nothing had happened. After a brief pause, everyone continued to do the same.

He was saying the truth after all, the encounter last night had left a lingering sour taste and he was not anxious to repeat that episode. Keima did not like the look of the manager that had been by Kanon's side, mainly due to the look of disgust that was directed at him which he caught in the corner of his eye during dinner.

That was one of the main reasons that his first impression of her was a negative one, but what had triggered his outburst was when she dared to even think about prying into Elsi's past.

About Elsi's past, he should get Haqua to look into it for a better solution; if Elsi's reputation was to be upheld, it would be wise for them add more concrete facts into their past.

..

'W-woah… so Elsi-chan, you really are good friends with Kanon-chan too? As expected from Elsi~'

Praising Elsi for a reason that he did not fathom, Keima continued eating as Miyako Terada next directed her attention to Haqua, who missed a beat and dropped her spoon in surprise as Miyako asked.

'Then, Haqua-san, you've been good friends with Elsi-chan since you were young right? Did you move here to be with Elsi?'

As sharp as ever, Keima noticed that from the start Miyako had poked holes through their initial cover story and even Haqua was impressed as she took a few moments to reply her, thinking through her words carefully to not make any logic errors.

'Elsi-chan said she wanted to meet up with her brother, Keima-baka here- Ow! M-Mari-san…'

Being lightly tapped on the head by Mari to discourage Haqua from calling Keima that, Haqua corrected herself while scowling at the smug smile that Keima was giving her.

Right now, Keima was in Mari's good books and he enjoyed some benefits as a result.

'Elsi-chan said she wanted to meet up with her brother and mother, Mari-san and Keima here. My parents are overseas and they figured that it'll be good for me to transfer to a school with a friend and so I transferred over. I'm living with a relative right now.'

Smiling a winning and model smile, Haqua seemed to have answered perfectly and Miyako looked satisfied as well while Chihiro interrupted with the next question.

'Are you coping well with school, Haqua-san? If you meet with any difficulty, you can look for us too. Any friend of Elsi's is a friend of ours!'

Grinning, Chihiro offered a hand to Haqua and that made Keima hold his breath as he remembered what happened the last time that Haqua offered to shake his hand but he had faith that Haqua had a bit of common sense as well.

'Mm…'

..

Sniffing a little, Haqua， nonetheless， took and shook Chihiro's hand much to the relief of Keima as he feared the worst.

'Kosaka-san, Takahara-san, Miyako-san, desho?'

Looking and appraising each of the girls that were seated around the table, Haqua surprised everyone by bowing to all of the girls with a smile.

'I've heard about all of you from Elsi-chan, all of you are her close friends, desho? Thank you for taking good care of Elsi-chan all the while.'

Smiling and rubbing Elsi's head affectionately, Haqua created the impression of an elder sister as Mari-san smiled at the two girls. He had the inkling that his mother liked Haqua just as much as she liked Elsi as the two girls were inseparable.

Perhaps her initial greeting: 'Hi, I'm the illegitimate daughter of your husband!' was sufficient to tickle Mari's motherly instincts to treat Haqua that way?

Either way, he was relieved that Haqua found it in herself to thank the girls that made Elsi's transition to school that much better. And it would be better for Haqua too, to have some friends to help her adjust to the new school life that she accepted by transferring into their school.

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'Ahaha… Elsi-chan is very nice to be with； there's no need to thank us for that, right, Chihiro?'

Smiling happily back to Haqua, Ayumi threw the ball to Chihiro's court and the girl nodded as well.

'We're very happy to be her friend, Haqua-san too; I hope we become good friends.'

Nodding back at the girls, all of them went back to eating as Mari started small talk once again.

'Elsi-chan has been working hard on practicing with her guitar and I've heard so much about your band, the 2B Pencils? I wonder if you will be able to release a single?'

It was amusing to Keima to notice the faint blush on everyone's faces as they met with their first fan, in this case Katsuragi Mari and Keima coughed once to wake all of them up.

'If they work hard enough, it is certainly possible for them to release a single album, would Ohka-san buy their single to support them?'

Knowing that Mari definitely will and might even top what he had initially offer, Keima set the trap when all of the girls looked at Mari expectantly. Their eyes were begging Mari to nod her head.

'Of course~ I'll even help to sell them in the Café too; anything for my dear Elsi and her friends. I'm sure that everyone will listen to your songs and you'll all be very popular!'

Although the impact was lessened when Mari explained that it was for Elsi's sake, Keima was satisfied with her response as all of the girls he was managing seemed delighted and started eating again, with more urgency than before.

Now to push them towards the right direction, hard work and determination was important, but so was engaging and reminding them of the reward at the end of everything.

'Ah, Please Excuse me…'

Remembering that he had not replied Kanon yet, Keima excused himself to visit the restroom, PFP with him while everyone just sighed after seeing him start his PFP up again.

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'He never will change, will he? A leopard never changes his spots after all.'

Sighing, Haqua spoke on behalf of everyone present as they all watched Keima leave.

'Ahaha…'

Laughing dryly with all of the girls, Mari took the opportunity to ask the girls about Keima.

'Neh… now that Keima-kun is away… tell me, what do you think of Keima-kun~'

Smiling mischievously, Mari noted that more than one girl was unable to swallow after her casual remark and her hope soared. There was hope for her son yet if he was attractive to more than one girl.

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**'Kanon,**

**This is Keima. Thank you for your email. I am glad to see that you are coping well and perhaps we will meet on the day of the rehearsal. If so, please listen to the 2-B Pencils as well?**

**All of them have the same wish that you have and I believe they should be able to walk the talk. **

**Shall we meet on Saturday then? Do you have any place in mind?**

**-Best Regards Katsuragi'**

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After retrying several times, Keima finally found and sent the above message to Kanon, hoping that it will still leave him some time to play his games after the hectic week. He then returned to the table to find all of the them engaged in conversation.

Even Haqua had thawed and was joining in the conversation with huge smiles, laughing at the comments and jokes that Chihiro and Miyako were bouncing off each other. Chihiro could be described as the master of small talk as she was very street-smart and as Miyako had an exceptional wit, the two of them combined made it certain that they were the life of the party.

Ayumi joined in from time to time and she engaged Elsi into the conversation as well. The synergy of the trio can be described as such.

Ayumi Chihiro Miyako.

But as explained by Keima before, Miyako was the most level headed of them all, despite her eccentric tendencies.

Despite one's first impression, Ayumi was the most approachable, as she has a very strong sense of 'justice' and would stand up for, and in some cases, speak up for things that she felt was not right.

Naturally that meant that she would have no qualms being the first person to approach a new face in class or a stranger who needed help. Of course, she would only stand up for things that she felt was 'right' as evident by her earlier dismissal of Keima prior to him capturing her.

Chihiro was around the middle since she was capable of holding the conversation and eager to meet a new face. She was not the kind to be super friendly and hold a long conversation with someone unless they were her close friends, this flies in the face of common sense, but Chihiro can be quite a private person.

It might be due to her upbringing, but that was who she really was.

Lastly, Miyako can be said to be the one with the least 'energy' but that did not mean that she was an anti-social person, she was simply a person who had lesser of the qualities that Ayumi and Chihiro had.

That meant she was more likely to join in a conversation rather than initiate it, but she would always be able to strike and continue a conversation if anyone would initiate one with her. That was how she was as like Chihiro; she had a broad understanding of 'Street Knowledge' and was up to date with current affairs.

Like Ayumi, Miyako was someone who was not afraid to share her views, albeit in a less challenging way; she could defuse tensions simply by defending each party's views easily.

In short, if Ayumi and Chihiro were opposite side of the spectrum, Miyako would fall somewhat in the middle; one could say they were a perfect trio.

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Then, where did Elsi fit in? One could say that Elsi was in an entirely different level altogether; a mesh of the three girls.

She could initiate a conversation or join one with ease and depending on the current situation, or hold the conversation to either a lengthy or a short one.

Elsi could not be described as someone who was very knowledgeable, but she would always manage to find something in common with the other party. That, or be able to entertain them with her energy and enthusiasm.

Lastly, Elsi could not be described as a person who could stand up for everyone, but she would always lend a helping hand to those in need, regardless of her consequences.

Elsi can be said to be able to pull the most positive values from the trio and reflect it from her. That was her place in the 2B Pencils and a part that the other three girls have slowly began to realize that.

Although the core and leader of the group was Chihiro, it was her dream that caused them to be together after all. Tt was Elsi that was the mood generator as she could cause severe mood swings just by herself.

..

Simply by observing these 4 girls together brought a warm and ticklish feeling in the **Capturing God's **heart. It reminded him of the feeling that he would experience upon reaching the end of especially well-crafted games, and he found himself hesitating to approach the group.

He had asked the question once, what was he doing with his life when all of the Heroines that he had captured were living theirs to the fullest? All of them had met with a roadblock in life that he had removed for them and although he could be said to be their 'savior', when compared to all of them, who had picked up their lives and moved on? Was he not just staying in the same place?

Being plagued with that question once was enough and Keima found himself once again at the same crossroad.

His initial mission was to discover the truth, the truth behind this conspiracy that threatened to ruin his everyday life as well as to protect the people closest to him.

But he had been drawn into this endless cycle of helping the 2B Pencils. He found himself enjoying it, realizing that he could possibly 'move forward' in life by helping them.

Compared to the 2B Pencils, who were working hard to achieve their dream, perhaps he did not deserve the praise that they heaped on him after all?

'…'

Feeling a growing headache, Katsuragi Keima pushed that thought away and returned to his seat while listening to the conversation between the girls.

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'Aha~ Can we really?'

Jumping at the suggestion of a sleepover, Ayumi glanced at Elsi, who simply smiled and nodded, before looking to the rest of the girls to see if they were game for that idea.

'If… you can accommodate us… it is a little late for us to go back now…'

Looking out the window, Miyako spoke out openly for all of them and they all looked at each other before bowing to Mari as one. They felt really embarrassed for imposing so much on Mari-san even though they just met her.

Time really flew and dinner-time had stretched more than two hours before anyone of them realized it as they had enjoyed themselves so much. Even Keima did not complain about missing two hours of gaming time as he was constantly being dragged into the conversation by Mari or Haqua, the latter with venomous intent and the former to encourage him to speak up.

However, it did not mean that Keima himself was irritated by that development; he was actually quite pleased as it allowed him to have a greater understand of the synergy of the 2B Pencils, he was really growing into this role as he found the conversation to be quite entertaining at times.

'Of course, I had plenty of sleepovers on my time~ I think Elsi would like that too. I'll bring out the extra bedding so you can stay in Elsi's room, alright?'

Smiling happily as the girls cheered, Mari turned to find Keima for help, only to find him washing the dishes with Haqua, the two of them doing it in silence and Mari simply shook her head.

She knew that Haqua and Keima did not get along well all the time, but they would make up after a while. It did make her upset that Haqua could use language and she reminded herself to correct that behavior.

Mari had always wondered why she had a soft spot for Haqua and after hearing her introduction today, Mari did not like to pry and she gained a little from having her over for dinner.

Who ever knew that Haqua came from a faraway land, from England to study in Japan all alone with another relative of hers and Mari found the reason why she came to dote on Haqua just as much as Elsi.

Haqua reminded her of Elsi; she could sense the loneliness from her eyes despite her fierce, independent nature and spirit. Although it was more pronounced in Elsi and Mari could tell in an instant that she missed her family very much, Mari could sense the same vibes from Haqua as well and without noticing it, she begun showering the same family love on Haqua as well.

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Mari felt a little bad at trying to 'outdo' Haqua's relative, but Haqua seemed to like that person as well as over the time the lonely look in her eyes disappeared. There were times that Haqua would swing by, all upset about something. However, Mari could tell, her years of experience spotting the signs that Haqua was actually quite mindful of the other individual(s) more than she wished to let on.

Either way, Mari felt that she had two daughters instead of just one. It suited her just fine, especially since Keima was starting to behave like a son of hers instead of a geek.

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'Those are all the girls you helped to drive the Weiss out, right, Katsuragi?'

The only reason she even considered helping Keima with his dishes was to get some time alone with him and some privacy to talk to him. She still had the obligation to check out Elsi's friends, for her sake of course, and she was satisfied with the friends that she had made.

All of them seemed to genuinely like Elsi; and for that, Haqua was thankful. It was good that Keima actively encouraged that friendship as well by not being too restrictive of Elsi's lifestyle.

Thus, she had to apologize a little to Keima, just a little for berating him so hard if he was doing his part, even if it was a small one in helping Elsi adapt.

'Yes, with the exception of Miyako, Miyako is just a friend of Kosaka and Takahara that Elsi got to know through them.'

Nodding while doing the dishes, Keima was used to doing the dishes as he lived in a Café after all and he went through the dishes quickly, passing the clean ones to Haqua for her to wipe dry.

'They are all good people; I trust that you knew that too.'

Saying so matter-of-factly, Haqua narrowed her eyes when she asked the question that Keima did not want to answer.

'All of them like you, don't they?'

'Who knows…'

Of course he knew; he wouldn't be the **Capturing God** if he could not pick up all the signs but he would rather not talk about it.

'… What about Elsi then?'

She asked him abruptly. The plate slipped from Keima's hands and it would have smashed on the floor if not for Haqua and her raiment.

'Did you know that she liked you too?'

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**Author's Notes: DUN DUNN DUNN! R&R PLEASE! Oh we've been a little slow as we had to sort out Beta-reading and me getting a new laptop. Please take a minute of your busy life for a moment of silence for the passing of my old Laptop: Asahi, and welcome my new laptop, Kathy for she'll churn out the newer stories~  
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	38. Introductions

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 38: Introductions**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Thank you to _Kaiser Dude _for the beta-read and editing~ The story is moving on and on and yet it is causing me headache as well. So please R&R!**

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'Did you know that she liked you too?'

If Keima was surprised by Haqua's statement, he tried not to show it, but he had just dropped a plate that he was drying. However, both of them were known to be extremely proud and valued their pride over anything else. Hence, Haqua gave him a break when he simply coughed and explained that the plate had slipped from his hands.

'Clarify yourself, Haqua. If you mean that we liked each other as family, it is a fact that I am very well acquainted with.'

Trying to stem of the inevitable statement, Keima barely flinched this time when Haqua, frustrated at her lack of progress, literally screamed at him, using her raiment to soundproof the kitchen to avoid startling the rest of the girls.

'WHAT ELSE IS THERE FOR ME TO BE SO WORKED UP OVER?'

A very valid point and Haqua found herself panting angrily at the boy in front of her. She had hoped he would not be in denial but evidently that was false thinking on her part as Keima simply sighed before placing a plate on the rack and turning to face her.

'What do you wish me to do about it, Haqua? Do you have a suggestion that can help?'

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...

His eyes made her step back for a moment as Haqua was reminded of why she was always unable to perform in front of Keima. Those eyes had more character than his entire face and in some cases, his entire body was unable to convey what his eyes so effortlessly projected.

Katsuragi Keima must have known or have accepted this fact a long time ago as he was questioning Haqua, demanding her for an answer to this dilemma.

Although she was skeptical that Keima had a solution for this unlikely scenario, but up till a moment ago she had been skeptical of Keima even knowing that fact… perhaps she was severely underrating Keima's ability after all?

Swallowing nervously, Haqua took another nervous step back as Keima advanced towards her silently and menacingly, He must be insulted by her words and she raised her hands up defensively against the **Capturing God**.

'Tell me something that I do not know. Tell me you have found out about something, anything at all regarding this 'event'.

I have been delaying the inevitable, searching for answers in every corner while trying not to get drawn into the 'game'… and here you are, the person whom I have asked and even pleaded even for assistance, feeding me information that I have access to in front of me.'

Rambling and ranting in front of her, Haqua did not know why she suddenly felt relieved and the tension melted away with the apprehensiveness she had felt about Keima as quickly as it had surfaced a long time ago and she even smiled and chuckled a little, causing the **Capturing God** to stop his rant to question her.

'Is there something funny about all this?'

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'Oh… No… I'm sorry… I… I just…'

She couldn't say it to him outright; Haqua had her pride after all but she felt relieved and glad as this was the Keima that she knew, the Keima that she appreciated and the Keima that she fell in love with. He had not changed nor had he been influenced by the other girls as she had been led to believe.

However, she was careful to take this new knowledge with a pinch of salt, the saying goes: 'If you have to fool everyone, you have to fool your friends as well' and Keima was an exceptionally good actor, he has to be in order to 'capture' so many girls flawlessly.

He might just be using this as a ruse to salvage his pride after all. Haqua found herself back in the same spot, struggling to find an answer till the most obvious one came to her.

'What are you going to do about it then about Elsi's suffering? You're putting her through alot by letting her be friends with all of them. All of them are good people… do you wish to see their friendship break apart because of you? Is that what you really want to see?'

Sounding a little judgmental at this point of time, Haqua glared back at Keima while the boy closed his eyes and shook his head matter-of-factly.

'Negative, I have not harmed any of the girls in any way, why do you think that I will start doing so now? That would be the last thing that I hope to accomplish. However, I have to add that if their friendship was to fall apart just because of me, I am sad to say that that is not a true friendship.'

..

That was when Haqua lost it, and slapped Keima in the face before she realized what she had done, but she was proud of herself for standing up for all the girls in love when she did that.

'If you really called yourself the **Capturing God**, take that back right now! Do you even know how it is like to fall in love? People have died for love, started wars for love and even killed for love!

It is possible for them to fight amongst themselves for love too! I don't want to see Elsi and her friends become enemies just because of you, IDIOT!'

But it was Haqua's turn to be surprised as Keima lightly tapped her on the cheek as well. It must be the gentleman in him that was telling him not to return the favor by slapping Keima and Haqua recoiled a little at his action.

'Yes, what you have said is true… However, Friendship is something that one remembers till the end of one's journey furthermore true friendship is something that one values above all. Love is precious; it is important as well as life-changing. However, love is not always a constant… it is forever changing, the feelings of a person in love can change, and it can adapt and flow with the tide of passion that brings it.

'…!'

Friendship is the one thing that remains pure and untainted despite the ages. One never quite knows why another person is your friend. There can be many reasons why you first interact, why you get along… but that is not the same for true friends, friends that you can share a secret with and be contented that they will not give you away.

Friends that you can turn to when one is heartbroken and is desperate for someone to talk to… Those bonds will not be shattered by so easily, not even by love.'

Pushing his glasses up, Katsuragi Keima took a deep breath before turning and walking towards the hallway. He looked out of the kitchen at the sight of the 2B Pencils chatting together in the living room and he lowered his head slightly to conceal the smile he had on his face.

'The bonds that I am helping them form… is not something that can be created so easily. The roots of their success and their friendship have long been sown before my hand was played, Haqua, I choose to investigate these girls as I had faith in their friendship; they will not fight amongst themselves just for me.'

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Haqua was impressed; she really was impressed at Keima's speech. She felt a bit bad for slapping him earlier, but hearing him say so made her feel a bit more reassured.

'… I'm sorry for hitting you like this.'

Knowing that she was going through an emotional roller coaster ride made her feel a little upset as well. Overall however Haqua was satisfied with his answer, her anger and disappointed were beaten back by his calm words.

'But, Keima… what are you going to do about it?'

'… I do not know.'

He confessed while looking at her, and Haqua felt her heartbeat race when he asked her for her help once again.

'But with your help… perhaps we can avert this disaster yet. So please, Haqua, would you help me?'

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'Kami-Onii-sama is sure taking a long time …'

Sitting on the sofa with her fellow 2B Pencil band members, Elsi had her guitar out and was listening to the other girl's opinions on how she was supposed to strum her guitar to provide the most impact with the right image.

Although Keima had not determined for them what image their girl band should be, Chihiro and Miyako had very radically different ideas from each other.

Chihiro preferred a more casual image, one that was more laid back more at home in a school. That way, they would run fewer risks of being booted out of the school compound due to protests from other, more conservative students.

Of course, Miyako was in favor of going the other route, an image that was both provocative as well as refreshing. She proposed a more rock-infused contemporary image that would be quite similar to the punkish outfit that Elsi chose earlier.

Whatever the final decision, they have to work hard. After channel-surfing for a few minutes, the discussion after dinner had been quickly derailed as they chanced upon one of Kanon's interview.

Of course, true to fashion, it was the one interview that had the idol describing her new single, 'Koi No Shirushi'.

As one would know by now, the song was dedicated to the one she liked and hearing that interview made the girls wonder about who that person was.

..

'_Kanon-chan must really like the boy, neh?'_

_Smiling as she leaned against the sofa, Ayumi turned to look at the other girls as she continued with a very twinkle in her eyes._

'_I wonder if I can do that too, confess to someone that I like in front of so many people~'_

_Smiling in an embarrassed fashion when Mari clapped her hands and winked at her, Ayumi couldn't help but laugh when Mari mentioned about how Keima's dad confessed to him._

'_At least you didn't have to do it in front of my whole gang. Keima's dad looked like he was going to get beaten up by all of them till I kissed him. That man was always full of surprises.'_

_Looking fondly back at her own memories, Mari smiled deviously and knowingly when all of the girls looked at her expectantly, as if hoping for more experiences from her._

'_Oh, enough about me, I'm sure all of you would have many lovely experiences with the opposite sex.'_

_Mari had enjoyed herself tremendously. She was banking on her experience and street knowledge from hanging around in the Biker Gangs to entertain the girls, asking probing questions about them and of course, catching up on the latest fashion trends going around._

_Bringing up two kids by herself is no easy task, and Mari was glad to see that her children were all doing well in school as well as leading a good and healthy lifestyle._

_There were hints that some of the girls really liked Keima and for that Mari was beside herself with joy. Perhaps, just perhaps they would be able to change him for the first time. _

_It didn't matter if the girl was obsessed with him as long as she was able to make him pay attention to something that was not a game._

_Also from the first indications it had worked, Mari had never been prouder of Keima for the two past days. He had welcomed Kanon into their café with grace and dignity worthy of the family head. He had also displayed the same attitude and etiquette today, which was something that she could not imagine._

_Was he conscious of the girls as well? Mari did hope he was not so protective over Elsi though…_

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'_Hmm… I think that I would be the one to confess to the person I like.'_

_Miyako suddenly spoke out loud, and all attention was drawn to her as she smiled and held up a finger._

'_It is about time for us girls to stand up for our rights; It's silly for us to wait for the boys to summon the courage to confess to us. We have the right to fall in love and the right to pursue our love, am I not right, Chihiro?'_

_Smiling as Chihiro rallied too as she pumped a fist into the air._

'_I'll confess to him too, but not in the open… I won't want anyone to see me… Ahaha… it's too embarrassing.'_

_Elsi knew that Chihiro was probably really in love with Keima for as she was behaving just like a coy girl after saying that._

'_W-what would Ayumi do?'_

'_EHH? Well…'_

_Seriously considering the question, Ayumi crossed her arms and it was a while before she had a reply for them._

'_Well, I think I would do the same that Chihiro did… I would want to be alone with him when I pop the question to him. I think it would be fairer to slowly break the news to him gradually.'_

_Smiling, Ayumi turned to the last girl, Elsi, who was still staring at the interview of Kanon when she realized that everyone was staring at her._

'… _Ano… I think I won't be able to confess to the person that I like… I just don't have the courage…'_

_Before she realized what had happened, all of the girls were beside her. Some were placing reassuring hands on her shoulders; and some simply sitting beside her. However all of them nodded when Miyako reassured her by telling her that they'll help Elsi confess if she was going to do so._

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'_We'll help you, Elsi-chan~ Mari-san won't mind, right?'_

_Cheekily smiling up at Mari, Chihiro's grin widened when Mari sighed and shook her head. She was lamenting their youths while making them promise to not give Elsi away to a bad man._

'_Aye aye~ we won't Mari-san~ we'll safeguard Elsi with our lives~'_

'_Elsi-chan is the 2B-Pencil's mascot, we won't let her be led astray, Mari-san~'_

_Of course, none of the girls noticed the look in Elsi's eyes, a maelstrom of conflicting emotions making it difficult for her to be comforted or upset at the same time. Would the girls actually help her if she told them who she really liked? Also could she make them help her even if they agreed…? Knowing full well that they too liked Keima as well?_

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It was a while later when Keima and Haqua returned to the group and by then all of them were hard at work practicing their instruments. With each other other's help, all of them were able to project a much better 'image' than before, as Keima noticed with a curt nod.

Mari had helped out as well, giving comments on how their posture was, how they carried their instruments. It was especially difficult for Ayumi and Elsi, as the two girls were supposed to act as a sort of pair and creating a sort of symmetry with Chihiro in the middle and Miyako at the back.

Right now the girls are trying to get comfortable with the position, making it easier for their bodies to settle into the same position again.

'Wow, all of you are really dedicated to this…'

Impressed at their hard work that they are putting into this, Haqua grinned as she saw Elsi smiling back at her, asking her whether they looked alright.

'Well… I suppose so, but… something seems to be missing…'

Frowning, Haqua snapped her fingers when Miyako offered the answer solemnly.

'You mean we do need a drummer after all?'

Sighing, Miyako sat down on the chair and looked dejected. It was true that they looked like a girl band and played like one, but they aren't a full girl band yet. They needed a drummer, someone who was able to carry the rhythm of the group, and make it easier for all of them to follow the beat of the music.

All of them knew that fact long before Keima joined, but they had not touched on that subject as they were too busy trying to improve. On hindsight, they should have mentioned it to him earlier, giving him more time to search for a candidate.

Right now, Keima was covering for the lack of a Drummer by using the music itself to guide the girls. Although it was alright, it meant that they weren't fully playing as a girl band just yet.

'Neh, Katsuragi-kun, you'll be able to find a drummer to join us, right?'

..

..

Sounding a little skeptical, especially as Miyako never once mentioned it to Keima, all of the girls, including Haqua was surprised when he actually smiled a little deviously while nodding his head.

'Naturally, I've got a candidate in mind. Kosaka… However just in case, would you please check with the organizers on whether our current arrangement of playing the music is allowed. Or do we have to have the band play all the music. It is common sense that it is the latter, but it's better just to be sure.'

His smile was enough to reassure the girls and dismiss the doubts that they had and that spoke wonders of how much the girls trusted this boy, easily noted by Mari and Haqua. It had just been a few days, but it looked like these girls were ready to follow him to hell and back, further putting pressure on Haqua as Keima gave her a knowing look.

'A-anyway, I'll be there supporting you at the rehearsal, so all of you work hard, okay?'

Placing a hand on Elsi's shoulder and smiling to reassure the younger devil, Haqua swallowed nervously as she recalled what Keima had told and begged her to do, or start doing… why was she working so hard for him anyway?

She asked herself then, but seeing the look of relief and how much effort Elsi, her best friend was putting into this… Haqua couldn't help but agree to his request.

It will be a long night for this particular devil, but she found that she didn't quite mind.

Not if it was for Elsi, her best friend… and of course, to prevent and protect this unique world that she was living in.

* * *

**Author's Notes: I wonder if anyone can guess the development? Anyway. R&R! I get plenty of hits but no R, it makes me sad. OH, DO MY POLL!  
**


	39. Confessions

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 39: Confessions**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser dude_ for the beta-read and editing! Thank you for the reviews and thoughts, they really helped me alot!  
**

* * *

**..  
**

..

It was not long before the girls had to retire for bed, heading to Elsi's room to crash for the night. Keima had utterly embarrassed the girls by producing one of their practice tapes and playing it for Haqua and Mari to hear. Although initially embarrassed and unwillingly, the girls had settled down to listen to the playback as well. It was their first time listening to themselves after Keima took the reins as their manager, and they were shocked at how much improvement they had together.

It was a result of Keima forcing them to synchronize with each other, as well as his endless practice of the basics. As a result, they were more relaxed and they enjoyed themselves. Although they did not necessarily get better by a large degree, their newly found harmony made their music more enjoyable than before.

Chihiro's voice needed work but it was waay better than their initial attempt.

'You girls are actually quite good...'

Smiling as she turned to look at the girls, all of them were shaking their heads and insisting that they weren't; Mari commented that at least they sounded like they enjoyed themselves.

'As long as you enjoy yourself, it's something that you won't forget, as it is an expression of your youth.'

Keima admitted that he would not be able to phrase it much better than this, and he nodded while Haqua simply laughed with that remark.

'I remember during my teenage years, I rebelled by joining a Biker Gang... right now I'm just a normal housewife running a Cafe. If there is a time to actually go wild with your dreams, this is the right time! Go ahead, Elsi-chan, Ohka-san supports you!'

Watching the girl tear up a little from her encouragement, Mari sent the girls up while asking Keima to accompany Haqua, who was about to leave soon.

'Do not fight amongst yourself, okay, Haqua-chan, Keima-kun.'

..

..

'Neh, Kami-Onii-sama, Thank you for the new clothes.'

Nodding to Elsi as she hurried to her room with the other girls, Keima raised one eyebrow when Elsi paused half way and thanked him for getting the clothes for her.

'Come to think of it, Kami-Onii-sama, that's the first gift you got for me… so, thank you, Kami-Onii-sama~"

Smiling happily as she made her exit, Keima turned to face his mother as he was sure that she would have something to say to him regarding that.

'Keima, do you have enough money to last you through the month? That costs quite a lot, didn't they? It's nice to see you pampering Elsi just a little, but if you need some more money, just tell Ohka-san, alright?'

Smiling as she complimented him for giving Elsi that gift, Mari tilted her head as she realized that she didn't know Elsi's birthday too. Although she did not see what clothes that Keima got for Elsi, it was the thought that counted and she beamed at him.

'Could you ask for me, Keima? I do want to give her a birthday present; she's done so much for us.'

Smiling as Keima nodded his head, he found himself rudely interrupted as he received a mail out of the blue. Ordinarily he would ignore such emails, he gets a lot from fans who wanted his advice, but this one was different.

It was from Kanon again in response to his mail, but he was unable to read the mail with Haqua staring at him like that. No doubt she was uneasy with the responsibility that he had shoved to the girl and he placed his PFP down to listen to the girl.

'Now, about Elsi's birthday...'

..

So he was the one assuming things and Keima nodded as she listened to Haqua, Mari having left to give them some privacy.

'It's a little complicated, so perhaps we should come up with a convenient one for the Human World. We do calculate days differently in Hell so it'll be better if we use the native calendar. Will June do?'

Hinting about June brides, Keima rolled his eyes while Haqua simply smiled back, relaxed and in control of her emotions.

'Whatever works;... I do not wish for the issue of her birthday to pop up at an important time, even if it could be a good chance to bond further with the girls.'

Sighing, Keima knew that it would be an easy and convenient flag for him to utilize if he wanted to bring the girls closer together, but it was best that he does not use it. Besides he was getting points for buying a gift to her and it was perhaps better this way.

'Haqua, about the task that I asked you to do... if it is too difficult, you can turn me down.'

..

..

Keima knew Haqua had a great amount of pride, and it worked in his favor when Haqua shook her head and simply replied in the negative.

'Do not worry about it; I am a genius after all. As long as you promise that it'll help Elsi and resolve this situation. I'll do what you ask me to, but I wouldn't mind if you begged me again.'

Smiling deviously, Haqua's eyes widened when Keima's eyes narrowed while retorting her.

'I did not know you are such a sadist. Do you enjoy watching me swallowing my pride?'

'N-not really... but you've always been so arrogant... and stuck up...'

She trailed off when Keima simply snorted and interrupted her.

'I call that rectification. If there is something wrong, there is no reason for me to not apply the proper rectifying measure.'

He nodded curtly and was taken aback when Haqua retorted him harshly as well.

'You should consider the feelings of those you are 'rectifying' Katsuragi, your tongue is vicious.'

'… Is it really now?'

Being a little doubtful at Haqua's assertion, Keima turned to his PFP when Haqua merely nodded her head while settling down on the couch.

'Neh, Katsuragi, is it really going to work? You found a lead, right?'

'Yes, but I will want to conduct one last check before I ask you to investigate the site.'

Nodding, Keima turned on his PFP and opened the mail from Kanon, ignoring Haqua as she pulled out one of the reference materials given to her by Keima to read. She has a long and uphill battle in order to successfully achieve what Keima wished for her, and she did not wish to disappoint him again.

..

..

* * *

**Dear Keima-kun,**

**Thank you for agreeing to meet me, Katsuragi-kun. I have something important to tell you, could you meet me at the bus-stop next to school? Would you be so kind as to accompany me on a short shopping trip? I promise not to take too much of your time.**

**- Love Nakagawa Kanon**

* * *

..

..

Keima was uncertain; being on a shopping trip with a member of the opposite sex was akin to a death sentence. He remembered how long the 'short' shopping trip that he had with Mari, they had ended up going on a movie, shopping for unrelated things like groceries and returning home late in the day.

But a promise is a promise and Keima reluctantly replied to her with a simple: 'Alright, see you tomorrow, Kanon.'

Looking up, he saw Haqua being stuck on the first few pages of the reference materials and he sighed, going to sit beside her with an irritated expression on his face.

'I'll help you, Haqua... it looks like you are going to need it.'

'Ahaha... gomen... gomen...'

* * *

..

..

_In Elsi's room, all of the girls were getting settled in with Mari and Elsi's help. Setting up extra mattresses and with a serving of cookies, the girls were content. Right now, all of them were struggling with their homework, particularly English._

_'Neh... perhaps we should ask Kami-Onii-sama to help again?'_

_Wondering as she struggled with the questions, Elsi blushed when Tereda teased her almost instantly._

_'Elsi-chan really depends on Katsuragi-san, well... I think that after helping us so many times, Katsuragi-san is really dependable.'_

_'Haii...'_

_Agreeing reluctantly, Ayumi and Chihiro blushed as just a few days ago they were calling him Otamegane so rudely. In hindsight they should have actually given him the benefit of the doubt since they knew what he had done for the both of them so long ago._

_'But-, it's not always a good thing to rely on him, desho, Elsi-chan? You have to stand up for yourself and surprise him. Let's all work hard on this together, shall we?'_

_Cheering the others on, when it comes to studies, Miyako can lay claim to be the leader. She was commonly regarded as Sensei, thanks to the help and advice she has offered the rest of the girls during the recent tests._

_'Haii~~'_

_Becoming closer together slowly and surely, Katsuragi Keima would be proud of the girls as they huddled into a slightly closer group than before. They were chatting and discussing about things that they never found interesting with each other before. _

_Subjects that were once taboo became common and normal and issues that they did not dare ask was easily shared with the rest._

_'Ehh~ Ayumi wanted to leave a ponytail?'_

_'Hai, but I think it would be difficult for running... so I'll keep it at this length. I do like Miyako-chan's hair though, it's very beautiful.'_

_Looking at Miyako enviously, Miyako shook her head as she ran her finger through her hair as well._

_'I didn't want to keep it in condition, Ayumi, but I will now if you tell me how you keep your hair so silky!'_

_Grinning, Miyako smiled happily as Ayumi promised to pass her the hair conditioner tomorrow to try it out._

_'It won't show much of a difference, but you should take care of your hair, Miyako-chan~'_

..

..

_'Hmm... How do I read this?'_

_'__**Can I have a discount?'**_

_'… What does this mean?'_

_'AH it means that you are haggling for a price cut!'_

_Slapping Chihiro on the head lightly, Ayumi deadpanned when once again she was able to decipher English only when it was relevant to shopping._

_'Ahaha~~ Well, My dream is to go and shop for clothes in Paris~~ to go to all those fancy shops and to get clothes.'_

_Showing a thumbsup sign, Chihiro was immediately dragged back to reality when both Ayumi and Miyako remarked that those high end boutiques probably prohibited haggling._

_'EHHHHHHH!'_

* * *

_.._

_..  
_

_It was a while later that saw Terada Miyako leaving the room for a glass of water. As she descended the stairs, she saw Keima seeing Haqua off at the front gate and she hurried over to say her goodbyes as well._

_Although Haqua was a friend of Elsi's and was quite friendly with them, Miyako could sense that she was a little reluctant on being friends with all of them. She was very close to Elsi, and Miyako knew that Keima would call the bond between the two of them as real friendship, and she wanted to be friends with her too._

_'Ah, you are leaving, Haqua-san?'_

_Waving at the two, Miyako did feel a little disappointed as Haqua looked startled as the two of them were in the midst of an argument. From the interactions during dinner time, almost everyone knew that Haqua and Keima actually got along very well despite the verbal arguments between the two of them. The both of them were very stubborn, and that meant it was, perhaps their own unique way to communicate with each other? Either way, Miyako giggled as she teased the two of them._

_'Ara ara...am I interrupting something? I'm sorry for intruding~'_

_Smiling as Haqua got all flustered when confronted like that, Miyako realized that she was similar to Elsi in many ways. More than Haqua would let on anyway, and Miyako raised her hands to placate the flustered girl._

_'I'm just kidding, kidding... Katsuragi-kun, it's nice to see you seeing Haqua-san off.'_

_Smiling, Miyako petted his back before suggesting that he go up to join the girls._

_'Elsi-chan is asking for your help again, Katsuragi-san. You should go and help her~ and I think Chihiro-chan is hungry again.'_

_Winking at him, Miyako grinned mischievously as she added on after Keima sighed visibly to the two of them._

_'Katsuragi-kun is the Manager of the 2B-Pencils, and as the manager, you should take care of our needs, desho? Right now, Elsi-chan needs help with homework and Chihiro needs some food~ maybe Ayumi-chan likes some company bu-~'_

_Dancing out of the way when Keima reached out to strike her forehead, him being crossed at her teasing in front of Haqua, Miyako stuck her tongue out before reaching and pulling Haqua towards her._

_'Just joking~ jokes aside though, Katsuragi-kun, you should drop by... I mean it. I'll see Haqua-san off then~'_

_As she pulled Haqua with her out the door, she poked her head through the closing gap and shouted out to the boy._

_'Bring some cookies! It'll do wonders!'_

..

..

_Closing the door behind them, Miyako turned towards Haqua, who had been totally floored by how smoothly the unassuming girl had handled Keima. He was a person who was usually quick and merciless with his retorts, but he had fallen quickly into her provocation and had been unable to successfully retort back to the normal girl._

_Miyako was bemused at how stunned Haqua was with her conversation with Katsuragi and she noted that it was probable and most likely that Haqua did like Keima as well, seeing how she was notably extra defensive and aggressive towards him in particular._

_This was more than a love triangle; it was starting to look like a harem!_

_'Does, Haqua-san, like Katsuragi-kun too?'_

_It was always easier to take the bull by the horns immediately and Miyako pounced on Haqua the moment she saw signs that was the answer she needed._

_'There is nothing to be embarrassed about, Haqua-san. Katsuragi-san is very charming person as he is not only charismatic with his words, he has the ability to really make a very strong impression on everyone, no?'_

_Trying to appease Haqua, who looked as though she was about to blow up, Miyako did not expect her to deflate suddenly. She gave a sigh as she skipped forward a few steps in silence before turning back to look at Miyako._

_'Yes he is. He is very infuriating... he makes me hopping mad, but I know what he said is the truth. He always points out my mistake... but I guess that is his way of showing us that he cares. _

_If he did not care, he would not even bother at all, no?'_

_It seems like Haqua did know Keima very well and Miyako nodded her head happily._

_.._

_..  
_

_'He always acts cool, tries to stay out of trouble... but he will always lend a hand to the people around him, whether he himself liked it or not... He doesn't ask for help from others as he have utmost confident in his ability to solve things... he is a very amazing person, but... don't ever tell him that; it would get to his head.'_

_Behaving just like a girl in love, Miyako nodded her head as Haqua raised a finger on her lips in a shushing gesture. But she was taken aback when she saw traces of tears forming on her eyes and she hurried over, only for Haqua to push her back to hold her on arm's length._

_'… Yes, I do not dislike Katsuragi... But he rejected me even before I told him that...'_

_It was a shocking and scandalous revelation but Miyako suppressed the scandal monger in her and nodded her head solemnly to her. It must take lots of courage and trust for someone to admit a painful past to a person they just met... unless there is an ulterior motive..._

_Taking a few moments to rub away the tears that were threatening to flow, Haqua took a deep breath as she looked at Miyako._

_'… I am glad that he told me that firmly... as I would be hurting the person I loved the most if I had kept on... having a crush on him.'_

_Finding it difficult to continue, Haqua shook her head repeatedly till Miyako steadied her by applying pressure on her arms back in return to make her focus._

_'… Haqua-chan, you couldn't mean that... she really...'_

_It was on the tip of her tongue, Miyako already knew the truth... but she did not wish to believe it. Believing it would mean that the situation was much more complex than she had imagined. Of course, she was willing to consider the possibility but to have it turn into reality was probably more than she could bear._

..

.. 

_'I've given up... Elsi-chan she, really does like Katsuragi, very much, much more than you'd imagine. So, I have to give up.'_

_It was not the entire truth, Haqua did not just give up because of Elsi, but she knew that it would be difficult for her to choose between Elsi and her feelings for Katsuragi. That was why she wanted Terada Miyako, the girl with no affiliations to either Elsi or Keima, to know the truth._

_To know something that was not known to the world. She was betraying Keima's trust here, but it was something that she believed was the right thing._

_'B-but isn't Elsi-chan Keima's sister? Th-they're blood related.. so...'_

_'They are blood related... and not... it's complicated.'_

_Doing a faux de pass as she knew that Elsi did something ridiculous like making her own blood to match Keima's family line, Haqua knew that it was just demonic magic..._

_'Complicated?'_

_'There are things that you should only ask Elsi about... not me...'_

_'Why are you telling me this, Haqua-san...?'_

_Biting her lip, Haqua tensed up a little as Miyako tried to dig further into the issue than she expected._

..

.. 

_'Ayumi-san, Chihiro-san... the two of them, they like Katsuragi... too. You knew that as well.'_

_It was useless to try and pretend that she did not and Miyako slowly nodded her head. It was odd, the two of them having a rendezvous outside the Katsuragi household but there was odder things that could happen._

_'I do not wish to see Elsi lose important friends... just because of Katsuragi... I don't think his mind is made up yet.'_

_It was half a lie as well; there were many lies being told today but this particular one was special._

_Haqua knew that Keima would never make up his mind, as Haqua knew that he would rather not make one at all._

_It was a cruel lie, but it was necessary one... it would not necessarily derail Keima's plan to... let the romance die within the group, but at the same time, would cause less harm to Elsi as well._

_'I do not expect Terada to help me get Elsi and Katsuragi together... I just want you to know that, I will not stop helping Elsi...'_

_Stating that firmly, Haqua smiled when Miyako simply nodded her head thoughtfully._

..

.. 

_'It is complicated... but thank you for telling me this... I-I'll see what I can do... I do not wish to see all my friends disliking each other due to that as well. Thank you, Haqua-san... you're kinder than I thought. You must really, really like Elsi, don't you?'_

_It was obvious, for someone to sacrifice their chances of love for another... that the person they were willing to give up for was someone very dear to them._

_Haqua really viewed Elsi as her bestest best friend. There was no challenging that, and Miyako found herself a little jealous of the friendship the two of them had._

_Was this what Keima wanted them to share as well? One of the Three S, 'Sister-ship' that he was so adamant about?_

_She could not imagine how one would feel to do that... and she found herself eagerly anticipating the day that she would be able to bond with the rest of the 2B Pencils like Haqua did with Elsi._

_It must be something very unique and special, to share such a close and intricate bond._

_'Yes, I do... and thank you, Terada.'_

..

..

* * *

**Author's Notes**: **Everything begins with revelations! And well, R&R!**


	40. A New Dream

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 40: A New Dream **

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thanks to _Kaiser dude_ for the Beta-edit! Here's your Kanon date, folks!**

* * *

..

..

It was early in the morning when Katsuragi Keima left Cafe Grampa, dropping a note on the table before leaving. Katsuragi Mari was up getting the cafe ready and she sent him off with a perplexed expression on her face.

It was not that Keima was leaving early that was odd; she had seen Keima leave at the crack of dawn to queue up for some game before. What was odd was how he left dressed a little differently that made her wonder if he was going for a date.

Instead of the usual bulging backpacks or numerous games that he brought with him to conventions or for his camping purposes, Keima brought alone nothing more than himself, his wallet and his PFP.

'I'll be back in the afternoon.'

Reporting curtly to his mother, Katsuragi Keima left for his date with Nakagawa Kanon and left the 2B Pencils behind in his home. It would not be good for morale or for his image if they knew of his secret rendezvous.

From the noises in Elsi's room, the gaggle of girls had not slept till deep into the night after he left them to their own devices. He had taken Miyako's advice to heart, but instead of delivering the cookies himself, he had invited Mari to join them as well while he slipped in behind her, watching with veiled amusement at how they reacted.

Every one of them was wearing Elsi's pajamas, and they turned red when they saw Keima pop up like that uninvited. Instead of being driven out, they had asked him to stay to coach them in their homework.

The coaching session had gone on peacefully for about 15 minutes until Mari retreated to watch her TV serials .That had made the situation a little more awkward, especially so when they were in a bedroom, where all of them were supposed to be relaxing on the extra mattresses that Mari and Elsi had set up for them to sleep in.

..

..

Put simply, it meant that there was a little physical contact, not too much, but sufficient that it was enough to make the girls conscious of themselves. To the astonishment of the **Capturing God **the girls actually gathered a little closer to him as he swallowed nervously. Was this a seduction play? If so, he wasn't buying it and he prayed for Miyako's swift return.

The awkward silence was amplified when all three girls were silently doing their homework , stealing glances at him every few seconds or so and looking embarrassed when any one of them locked eyes with him.

'I'm back!'

After what seemed like an eternity, which was actually around 5 more minutes, Terada Miyako finally reappeared. Her arrival caused the tension to dissipate as the three girls flinched and physically and pulled away from him almost immediately.

Expecting a witty remark from Miyako to lighten the mood, Miyako seemed to make the situation worse when she silently closed the door after bowing to all of them with an awkward smile on her face.

'W-WAIIT!'

It was Ayumi who snapped first, which was odd as the other two seemed a little disappointed when she sprang from the mattress to pull Miyako back into the room.

'Ara ara~ I thought I was really interrupting something neh~'

Smiling cheerfully, Miyako re-entered the room while Keima took stock of the situation and decided that it was time to leave, with the current build up, 'accidents' might happen and well, he wasn't ready for that yet.

There were times when he had to be a man but this was definitely not one of those times.

'Y-you are leaving?'

..

..

It was not Miyako who asked that question, but a seriously disappointed Ayumi who sat up and looked at him pleadingly to stay. Well, she did not ask him to stay with words per se, but Keima got the message easily enough by her question and he wavered slightly before he hardened his resolve and nodded his head.

'Yes, it would not be right for me to interrupt all of you.'

He offered a small smile as he stood up, ready to leave.

'But you aren't interrupting anything!'

Naturally, it was Chihiro who next spoke up for the girls ;and Keima merely paused before shaking his head.

'I apologize, even so... I should turn in today.'

Leaving them without a word, Katsuragi Keima passed by Miyako and was promptly stopped by her with a gentle tap of his shoulder.

'Neh, will you please return this to Haqua-san? She dropped this earlier as she left...'

Smiling as she passed Keima the notes, Miyako noted the brief pause in his footsteps when she passed him the notes and she smiled, knowing that she had gotten something over Keima before he realized it.

'Good night, Katsuragi-kun.'

Winking, Miyako closed the door and left the **Capturing God **being a little uncertain of himself; a very rare occurrence indeed.

* * *

..

..

He had spent quite a while playing his games and not turning in like he said he would, but that was to be expected for him and his body was quite used to staying up late. The same could not be said for the girls and he was sure they would be too tired to wake up early on a weekend.

Personally, Keima did not like waking up early as well but as this was an agreement he made with Kanon, he had no choice but to crawl out of bed. Gaining some common sense for once, he had opted to not dress more appropriately for a date.

Thanks to Mari, with her constant hints for him to go out and enjoy himself, he had quite an extensive collection of clothes that she had bought for him and he was spoiled for choice as to what to wear for the date.

In the end, he went with smart casual, a long sleeved shirt, matching pants for a simple and clean look. He had considered wearing a hat to add on to the image, but he decided against it in the end as he did not wish to overdress the part. However, he brought it along, just in case...

Unlike Nakagawa Kanon of course as he reached the destination to see a weird person that could only be her. Dressed in a thick jacket that covered most of her frame, dark sunglasses that hid her eyes and most importantly, a large cap that hide her pink hair, no one would recognize her as the aspiring Top Idol at all.

'Ah! It's Keima-kun!'

Spotting him from the distance, Keima merely nodded as Kanon rushed to him. He stopped her from getting too ahead of her herself by raising his hands in front of him as though it was a wall, stopping her from coming to close.

'Good morning Kanon. It is a fine day to meet.'

He nodded to her, the girl simply turning red as she tapped her head with her knuckles to show that she has messed up. It was such an endearing and cute gesture that everyone at the bus stop stared at her for a moment before hurriedly looking away as well.

'I'm sorry, I keep forgetting about the no physical contact taboo... Keima-kun~'

Instead of reaching for his hand, Kanon guided him to the bus stop with a cheerful smile showing how excited she was at being with him.

..

..

'Thank you for being with me today~ I promise I won't take up much of your time!~ And, I have something important to tell you too...'

She added softly to him and that caused him to raise his eyebrows at how emotions can change such a simple statement to a very important one and he nodded back as well.

It was perhaps unfair of him to leave her alone for so long and he decided that he should 'pamper' her a little; he reached for her hand, making Kanon blush red when he held her hand, and pulled her beside him while waiting for the bus.

There were reasons for that too as he did not quite like the suspicious and leering looks from some of the other boys waiting for the bus as well. If one looked closely, Kanon was still quite cute despite the odd clothes; and he did not wish for anyone of them to find out who that oddly dressed girl was.

In that complicated scenario, Keima boarded the bus with Kanon and kept her beside him all the way, shooting dirty looks at those who even dared to look at her for a moment in order to protect her cover.

..

..

* * *

Naturally, Kanon was unaware of that and she felt her body heating up, her pulse getting faster and faster as Keima 'protected' her. She had no idea Keima was so protective and territorial over her and the poor girl was literally drowning in her own wildest fantasies.

As a girl who had limited contact with boys, as in real boys and not 'fans' of her, she could only mistake this for being protective and possessive towards her. And that made her feel extremely excited as that meant that she was his girl, right, right?

She was so nervous that she missed Keima prodding her a few times, wondering whether she would wish to engage in some small talk. It was only a few moments later did she recover sufficiently to look at Keima again and by chance, he too; was turning to look at her.

Their eyes met and Kanon hurriedly broke contact to look away. This made the atmosphere tense and charged while Keima simply resisted the urge to facepalm at the sugary moment that was developing in front of him.

'Kanon.'

Watching her jump at him, calling her name, and her eyes widening even more when Keima reached to rub her head slightly, Kanon's blush being even more distinct when Keima told her to relax.

'Relax... please do not stress yourself so much.'

Of course Keima knew why she was so tensed up, and he made it worst when he reached out to massage her shoulders, causing Kanon to squeak out softly in response. She was very sensitive to his every move while clenching her hand tightly, letting it rest on her lap awkwardly.

Everything that Keima did only served to make Kanon more nervous and who could blame her, she was the one who initiated this 'flag' and 'event' and here she was, unable to do anything... she couldn't find some way to impress Keima, not even once and she was troubling him with her inability to do anything.

'Just relax, be yourself, Kanon.'

He reminded her again and he backed off, letting the poor girl breathless but allowing her to recover from yet another close proximity encounter with the Otamegane Kind.

Of course, everyone in the bus was shooting dirty and jealous looks at the two of them. They were no doubt wishing that they would not be so lovey-dovey in public.

..

.. 

'Hai... that's really mean of you, Keima-kun...'

After a few minutes of deep breathing, Kanon finally recovered and slapped him on the back of his head in jest, not sure how to react. She did, however, laugh after that, causing some of the tension to disappear when Keima shook his head and sighed, knowing that he was worried for her as well, and Kanon cheered up almost immediately.

'I'm sorry, I'm just nervous about being on a date with you; this is my first time going out with someone since high school... so, thank you, so much~'

Smiling innocently, Keima blushed as well when seeing that innocent and happy smile and he felt his heart throb a little at being exposed to such a dangerous weapon.

* * *

..

..

'Ah... it's really hot...'

Brushing off the sweat from her forehead, Keima knew that could not be helped as they were nearing the end of their journey. Before Keima could stop her, she had pulled off her cap without thinking, exposing her pink hair while she looked at her in confusion.

Within a few seconds there were murmurs and whispers all around the bus; some of them recognized her as THE Nakagawa Kanon and it was only after some of them started to shout out her name did Kanon realize what she has done.

Although she was pretty famous in Mai-High, she was still a student. The reaction that she garnered here was more intense, and perhaps,more frantic a minute later. There were people snapping photographs, or tried to, as Keima hurried pulled Kanon's cap over her head in a hurry and Kanon helping by pulling it down hard, covering her eyes in her panic to keep her identity secret.

As for Keima, he was never as relieved when he trusted his gut, pulling the cap that he brought with him over his head as well. If this were to be leaked out, he would be dissected and killed on his way to school, not to mention Haqua would hunt him down for cheating...

Either way, it would be a difficult situation and he hurriedly pressed the bell for the bus to stop, pulling Kanon with him as the two of them vacated the bus in a hurry, ignoring the fans who cried out in protest.

'Kanon-chan!'

'Kanon-chan, wait!'

It was even worst when some of them started to chase after the two of them. Keima gave a frustrated cry when Kanon was unable to keep up with his pace, and he slowed down while holding her hand tightly.

'Does this happen often?'

'Yes, I'm sorry, Keima-kun!'

'Tsk! Just keep running and follow me!'

Although this was a scene straight out of an anime series, Keima had neither the time nor the strength to retort strongly at the world. He kept running with Kanon in tow, pulling the poor girl who was apologizing to him all the way.

..

.. 

'Here!'

Taking a sharp turn, Keima wondered what god in the world that he had pissed off to be subjected to this madness. While he ran from the crowd, he spotted a convenient phone booth, which he then pulled Kanon with him into that cramped compartment and shutting the door behind them.

'….'

Making a shushing gesture to Kanon, Keima wondered why there was a phone booth here of all places . He decided to consider that thought later though, and choose instead to press his ear against the door, trying to hear their pursuers.

To think that Kanon fans were so persistent, Keima himself felt a little disturbed by that thought as he heard the sounds of 'Kanon-chan! Kanon-chan!' fade away in the distance and he leaned against the booth's wall in relief as well as to catch his breath.

That's when he noticed Kanon resting against him as well, pressing her body against him in that cramped space. It wasn't really her fault or his fault, but Kanon did not seem to mind that at all.

He knew that the unnaturally red hue was not due solely due to her being out of breath, but as well as a combination of being out of breath as well as the close contact with him.

'A-ano...'

She looked up nervously, shyly and coyly, and it took almost all of Keima's willpower to keep his composure as Kanon leaned up towards his face. She pushed her entire weight on him as she stood on tip toe to look at him.

There was no questioning what she wanted from him, something that he has given her once but was it appropriate to grant this to her now?

Was it worth it to give her so much false hope only to dash it later?

WILL THE BALANCE BETWEEN RATIONALITY AND DESIRE BE TIPPED?

..

.. 

Find out, in the NEXT UPDATE!

Just kidding.

* * *

..

..

_Nakagawa Kanon did not know what to do or to think or to feel about the current situation. She was still recovering from the sheer rush of adrenaline that she felt on that great escape._

_It had started badly enough and she was about to slap herself for being so silly when Keima took charge of the situation and escaped with her. It was her first time doing such a rash and stupid thing. Normally she'd be more than willing to entertain and speak with her fans._

_However, that thought was dashed when the first cameras went off and Kanon immediately paled at the prospect of having her picture taken with Keima._

_It was not something to be embarrassed about, but it was the thought that Keima might be targeted by scandal mongers that made her follow Keima instinctively._

_.._

_..  
_

_But after the adrenaline rushed wore off and she found herself in this cramped and isolated place in a compromising situation._

_It was way beyond her wildest expectations and dreams, and no one could fault her for being just a little selfish; just a little more daring and she leaned forward, taking her chance and begging, wishing and willing for him to not reject her._

_'Keima-kun, I'm sorry...'_

_She whispered and took her chance, leapfrogging the other girls when she locked lips with Keima for the second time._

_It was not as magical, or as powerful, or as wonderful as the first one, to be sure, but Kanon knew that the mixture of feelings that she felt was something that she did not mind experiencing more often than less._

_'And thank you...'_

* * *

_**Author's Notes: Yeah, and your sexual tension! R&R!**  
_


	41. So I Said, I Like You

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 41: So I Said, I Liked You**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I Swear to the the Gods that still look down on me. _Catherine_ has all the credit for these as I do not know how I wrote this out.**

**Again, credit _Kaiser dude_ for his beta-read and editing. R&R, KANON FANS! THIS IS A SISTER CHAPTER TO TWOGK: BLUE ROSE PARADOX CHAPTER 3!  
**

* * *

..

..

It was one thing to be embarrassed and embarrassed was the right word to use as the two of them got out of the booth after several minutes have passed since their lips touched.

Naturally, Kanon was as pink as her hair, but Keima was seemingly unfazed, controlling and masking his feelings by shaking his head uncertainly.

'You could have warned me.'

He said so softly as Kanon's fingers wrapped around Keima's hands, hoping and asking him for permission to hold hands. To Kanon's delight, Keima did not resist and simply allowed her the luxury to do so while speaking to her.

'Would you have kissed me then, Keima-kun?'

Paying special attention to her attire and the hat that was covering the top half of her face, Kanon looked up at Keima expectantly and her heart raced when Keima shrugged.

'If the timing was right.'

'Then... then, are we going out together?'

'… You'll know when we do.'

..

..

He answered curtly and evasively but Kanon did not mind, she knew that he had a lot of things on his place right now and from the grapevine and the rumor mongers around school, the competition for Keima has heated up considerably...

However Kanon was patient and she felt that it would be better for her not to rush him, even if it would mean that her chances of being with him are decreasing with every passing day due to the absence of her in his life.

It was something that she has to admit unhappily, as her performance and work schedule meant it was almost impossible for her to be in school all the time.

As one said before, love can be grown and nurtured... long distance relationships it gets even more difficult... and for Kanon, she knew her situation was more unique than most.

She did not know Katsuragi Keima at all, but she was going to prove that she was going to try to know him. That she was going to make the ultimate sacrifice for him.

That was her reason for being here today... the ultimate gamble to pull ahead of the other girls once again.

'But Keima-kun... do you, want to go out with me?'

..

..

She asked the question abruptly and held her breath as she looked at him uncertainly. It was a question that she was unsure of answering as well.

She wanted to be with him, to spend time with him and she believed that even if she was doing nothing with him, simply lazing around in class while he was playing his games would also be counted as something blissful.

That she would look back fondly and reflect on with happiness.

Kanon knew that Keima was not much of a conversationalist but when he does speak his views, Kanon could not help but remember his every word. How he had encouraged her and rejected her, how he had somehow wormed his way into her heart by being there for her, reassuring her, giving her confidence and giving her strength and the courage to be the idol that she was now.

It was not a stretch to say that without Keima, there wouldn't be a Kanon.

And because of that, she found herself able to sacrifice everything she had in her hands for him and she answered her own question without hesitation as well.

'Because... Keima-kun, I want to go out with you... I like you, Keima-kun... ever since then and till now... I don't think my emotions have changed. I know... that you left me... but I am a stubborn person, Keima-kun.'

Stopping abruptly, Kanon looked at her hands uncertainly as Keima paused as well to look back at her.

'I, wish to go out with Keima-kun... not as the idol, Nakagawa Kanon but as the girl, Nakagawa Kanon... I don't want to be isolated, I don't want to be ignored by Keima-kun. I want to be with Keima-kun, to be in his thoughts, to be what he thinks about when he is sad... because, Keima-kun.'

She swallowed nervously as she tried to confess to him. It was so difficult, much more than she had been inclined to believe before and she reached out her hand to him again, dramatically as well as she continued.

'I don't want to be just friends; I... want to be your only one. I want to live just for you... as Keima-kun, I can't stop thinking about you, nor can I forget you so simply... I don't care that you lied to me before, that you left me, that you once disliked me... All I want to know is, just for today... yes, today... do you like me, Keima-kun?'

Stepping closer and closer to him, Kanon stepped up beside him and watched him for a response, any response.

..  
..

'Of course, I do, Kanon... I do like you. More than you could ever imagine... but that is why, I can't answer you now.'

He whispered softly to her, holding her hands and pulling her into his embrace, hugging her without hesitation. Without the pink tinge that covered her cheeks, Kanon realized that all her worry was for naught as Keima leaned down for another kiss, a soft one at that on her cheeks that made her feel all warm and fluffy inside.

'Is it... the 2B Pencils, those girls?'

Kanon asked her softly, and she realized that it wasn't as difficult to say their name now as before. When she had seen the posters and flyers that Keima had prepared for them, she felt a pang in her heart and she could only associate those girls, who were once her rivals and her friends, to be love rivals as well.

For Keima to pay so much attention to them, so much effort and time would only mean that there was something equally or more special than her there.

She was, admittedly, very jealous of those girls as he showered attention to them, gave them the guidance that she lacked and missed with Keima.

Not to mention that she knew Keima was treating those girls similar to how he treated her; as someone special ; and it hurt to know that she was not the only one who was special to him.

..  
..

'I know them, Keima-kun... They were my rivals before... they said they'll perform with me on the same stage. I was happy then, that I had some soul mates, friends that shared a similar dream. I thought they could understand me.'

She stated softly as she walked with him again down the empty road leading to the shopping district.

'But, I did not know that they would... '

'So much like you.'

Keima finished his sentence for her and she nodded sadly in response at the truth of his words. They had the same dream, they had the same drive... that she could understand... but what she could not accept or understand was why Keima stood by them.

Why with them and not with her if Keima liked her?

..  
..

Reading her mind, Keima answered easily, as if it was the most natural of things while smiling and shaking his head.

'It's because, they do not possess the talent that you have, Kanon. You are a star... they could be stars, if they worked hard enough.'

Gripping her hand tightly, Keima, the **Capturing God** as well as the **Magician of Words** explained softly to Kanon, telling her the reason for her actions.

'I see shadows of you in them; their desire to perform, to sing out their feelings to the world, to change the world by themselves... just like you. That's why, I cannot ignore them.'

He sighed as he continued without Kanon prompting him, a smile growing on his face while speaking about them.

'Most importantly, they have something to prove to me... the same thing that you have proved to me earlier.'

He turned back to her while scratching his head uneasily, not sure whether he should say this to her at all.

'I am not so cruel as to ignore them all … I hope that you can understand my selfishness.'

Kanon realized that he was carrying a heavier burden than most as Keima was too kind, too gentle and too nice to the people around him. He had a kind heart, one that was too kind to hurt those who are around him, even if it might bite him in the end.

The others might not forgive him for what he did, but would she forgive him for stepping on so many boats at the same time if she did not know what he was going through.

Of course, Kanon did not expect him to be like her, to obsess over him so much and she blushed even more at his words.

..  
..

'You're very selfish Keima-kun, but I think, I like that part of you.'

Was it usual for her to think that she would be mad at Keima if he had ignored the other girls and instead went out with her now? Because Kanon felt her respect and love for Keima grow despite him being so wishy-washy over his relationships.

'?'

Keima obviously thought that she would not be so encompassing and she pouted at him in mock annoyance.

'But if you were anything less, I think I would not have liked you so much. You're really amazing, Keima-kun.'

Hooking her hands over his hand and cuddling with him as they resumed walking to their destination, Kanon realized her heart had chosen the right person to settle down with after all. At the same time, his words gave her more courage to make the most important decision in her life.

* * *

..

..

Not for the first time, Katsuragi Keima was saved by the barest margin and once again by his mouth. Words can be weapons after all and he wondered what had transpired for him to come up with the courage to confess that to Kanon.

That he was torn and unable to decide... or quite simply, how he wanted her to wait for him.

Wait for him endlessly without reward and at the same time, phrase it not in a cruel way.

It almost seemed impossible but what was truly impossible was to deny and betray that smile, that blissful and understanding smile that Kanon gave him as he said his piece.

That truth was perhaps closer than he could admit as he indeed viewed the 2B Pencils as special, he could see the fundamentals and the visages of a true girlband reflected in their actions and in the way they interacted.

His experience never lied, and he had faith that what he was planning for them would allow him to get out of this situation unscathed. That was his final trump card.

But that would all come to naught if Kanon did not give up on him. To be honest, Kanon's dedication and love for him had surpassed what he had initially gauged as the worst case scenario.

She was obsessed about him and was willing to throw everything away for him, something that he knew must stem from desperation to impress and stand out from the other girls.

Not knowing that Keima had viewed her as exceptional even from the beginning, knowing that out of all the girls that he was associated with, Nakawaga Kanon was indeed the most special; the one who had invested the most feelings in him.

..  
..

'Silly girl.'

He said to himself quietly as they stepped into the shopping district together, hand and heart as one.

For that, Keima was forced to admit that he did admire her resolve and her love for him and it wouldn't hurt to divert from what he has always found to be the best option.

This will be a real date for her, because it's her. The one girl that the **Capturing God** cannot truly, say 'No' to.

* * *

..

..

Time passed by quickly when one was having fun and after browsing the shopping district together, the two of them found themselves sitting in a small cafe and admiring the sights.

For Kanon, it was an experience that she will never forget and would recall fondly for as long as she remembered. This was her first date, and it really was like what all the movies and shows that she had so many times to 'practice'.

They had first stopped by a few shops that sold hats as Kanon was very particular about them, seeing how she had to wear them when she goes out. They had spent an enjoyable time trying on and picking out different hats huddled at one corner in front of a mirror.

She had found Keima strangely to be very picky about hats as well as her image, the former to her delight as she had never had so much fun picking out clothes before.

From fedoras to boy-caps, Keima had provided interesting commentaries to say the least and she was tickled pink till they found a perfect one for her. A common white sun-hat with a matching light blue ribbon for her current outfit and a pink wool knitted one for Winter that matched her perfectly, all thanks to Keima.

..  
..

Next on the list was a visit to the optician where she wanted to get a new pair of glasses for herself and perhaps for Keima too. Thankfully the optician knew Kanon and he gave them the necessary privacy as they tried out different glasses for the two of them.

According to Keima, Kanon's current glasses suited her perfectly, drawing attention to her eyes and as a result putting focus on her beautiful features. That remark made Kanon blush so red that even Keima was embarrassed, all the while listening to the optician snicker to himself at the two lovebirds at one corner.

For Keima, Kanon thought that his current glasses was good for him as well as it those glasses were the direct opposite of Kanon's, putting emphasis away from his eyes and making them more outstanding and beautiful when he took the glasses of.

After careful choosing and pondering on different pairs, Kanon decided on one that was similar to Keima but colored pink. She secretly asked the optician to make it as close to his as possible; a matching pair engraved with 'K x K' for the two of them, causing the optician to wink knowingly at the Keima while taking the order.

As she had beautiful eyes as well, it would only make her look more stunning in the same reason as Keima.

For Keima, after long haggling and begging from Kanon, he had chosen something surprising; that is, contact lenses for his own personal use after Kanon realized that he would be much more handsome without his glasses on all the time.

She even persuaded him to put them on for her, an achievement that no one else had managed to do so, and she was feeling accomplished after leaving the shop with him without glasses.

..  
..

Thirdly was to a boutique that she frequented before she shot to fame and one that had many odd and exotic clothes like leopard-patterned jackets, khaki shirts as well as traditional clothes from various cultures. It was just window shopping, trying out different clothes just for the sake of it and she had lots of fun dressing up in different styles with Keima.

From traditional clothes like the Sarii from India, the Baju Kurong from Malaysia, the standard Kimono and even the Korean Hanbok, Kanon had plenty of fun as she persuaded Keima to try some of the male counterparts and was astonished at how easily he acceded to her request at being led to a corner to have photographs taken together. The shop was unique as they made quite a substantial amount from the photo studio that they had.

The two of them spent a memorable time taking and posing for photos together, the cameraman teasing the two of them by remarking it's somewhat like a Wedding Shoot and asked if they wanted to book an appointment for one in the future, to which Keima simply looked at her silently.

Kanon really thought that she would faint then as she bravely fought off the unease and shook her head furiously in denial of the current situation.

It was with lingering regrets that they left the studio, her hands holding the order form for the photos that she had ordered for herself and for Keima.

However she had been pleasantly surprised when Keima had footed the bill for the studio shoot and suggested they grabbed some lunch without complaint.

To be sure, she had been nervous and perhaps a little afraid that Keima would come unwillingly but it seems that her worries were unfounded as Keima seemed willing to be with her.

She slowly ate the salad that she had ordered while Keima simply drank his coffee, musing about the taste and picking at his spaghetti.

It felt good, no, great to feel like a normal girl out on a date and when Keima asked her why was she smiling to herself, she just remarked that it was nice to be out on a date. He simply smiled back, sitting back and enjoying the comfortable silence together as Kanon checked her watch, surprised at how fast the time had passed.

..  
..

'Ano... we don't have much time... can we go to one last place after this?'

She asked him softly in regret as she would have dance practice to go to later and it was such a pity as she had really enjoyed herself up till now.

It was time for her to show her commitment and plans for the future that was centered solely around him.

'Of course, where would you like to go?'

He answered without hesitation at all and Kanon smiled back at him happily in reply, giving him no mental preparation to what she was planning to do for him.

..

..

* * *

**Author's Note: Like I said, R&R! And this date is dragging longer than i thought. damnit, we might hit the 50 Chapter mark!  
**


	42. My Voice For All

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 42: My Voice For All**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I have my moments, but I'm not sure that this is one of them. Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta-read and editing!**

* * *

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It was confusing to say the least when Kanon pulled Keima towards one of his favorite stores and he blinked for a moment before his senses got extremely acute, figuratively of course. Keima realized a second too late that it was the same store that he and the girls had visited the day before.

It could be another missing link and he seriously considered making Haqua infiltrate this store to look through the security tapes of this shop to find the elusive answer.

Right now, he has Kanon to contend with as she quickly skipped into the store. He reckoned that she would be checking out the CDs that were located in a part of the store and he would be right as Kanon quickly headed off to that direction while Keima followed behind her closely, paying close attention to where the shop owners and assistants were as they bowed to him politely.

..

..

'You wanted to look at your albums, Kanon?'

Asking her as she was sifting through the albums slowly, Kanon surprised her by shaking her head and giggling softly.

'No I'm not, Keima-kun. I was looking for this.'

Searching for a particular CD, Kanon produced it for him and he was surprised to see that it was a Drama CD of one of the better anime adaptions of a game. Keima found himself wondering what she was up to as she hooked the trail CD to a player and invited Keima to share the earphones with her.

It was an enjoyable experience as Keima had been quite pleased with that adaptation, since they had used the same voice-actresses of the original game, the same soundtrack and had not cut corners, and explored each of the heroine arcs cleanly without any deletion of key scenes.

Although it was an H-game adaptation, it had a very good and touching story, interesting characters as well, and won several awards that year.

Yes, it was a classic as it had aired around 5 years ago around the Winter Season, and he had broken one of his unwritten rules and had purchased the Blu-Ray DVD release to watch it.

The drama CD was enjoyable as well as it showed a side of the characters that he did not know about and yet was true to how the characters should be as it was penned by one of the authors of the game and Keima nodded in acknowledgment of this piece of work.

..

..

'Does Keima-kun like this as well?'

Smiling in satisfaction as she picked up the Drama CD to pay for it at the counter, Keima nodded to her as he explained that he did play the original game and how he was impressed by it.

'I see; I'm glad that you like it.'

She smiled happily while paying for the CD and she urged him to show her the original game. After consulting the owner, he brought her over to one of the shelves and pulled out the game for her to look at.

'You could get it; it's the all-age version.'

He stated without hesitation or concern before he realized what he said, and he watched with discomfort at how Kanon almost dropped the game at the implication of what he was saying.

'… Pressing CTRL helps.'

He added lamely while scratching his ears and Kanon seemed to be a little upset, narrowing her eyes while staring at him. He gave up relatively early and looked guiltily to the side at her probing.

Eventually she just gave a sigh and took the game with her as well, refusing Keima's offer of getting it for him as she simply smiled at him.

'I want to get it myself, but that would be defeating the purpose if I did not.'

Leaving him befuddled, Keima simply nodded slowly as Kanon paid for her purchase quickly before running back to Keima as the two of them headed for the exit.

..

..

'Kanon, have you been to this place before?'

Placing the question delicately so as to avoid suspicions, Keima was vindicated when Kanon jumped and scratched her head awkwardly as she admitted that she had.

'Is it that obvious, Keima-kun? I came here to see how my CD sales were during summer, and I wanted to do some research.'

He was too preoccupied with his own thoughts when Kanon's last words made him frown and he pursued her for an answer.

'Research? Why would you do do research there?'

Asking a question that Kanon obviously wanted him to ask, Kanon smiled shyly as she stopped for a moment at the entrance of the store and turning back to face the rows and stacks of games that were being displayed behind Keima.

'I wanted to know what the things you liked were, why they were interesting to you, why Keima-kun seemed so obsessed with them... I wanted to know all of that in hopes that I could know you.'

'That isn't all you wanted to look up on, is there.'

It was something that he picked up from his games; there was always a catch and a secondary ulterior motive for anything that the heroine would suddenly mention out of the blue.

Being a gamer did not suit Kanon's image at all, and there must be something else that Kanon wanted from this store that she was hiding. This was perhaps another extension of her 'route', causing Keima to ditch his plan of questioning her about the store in a heartbeat.

Perhaps it wasn't the best thing to do at this point but he would listen to the Idol as she seemed pleased and ready to drop something important to him.

..

..

'I, I'm going to...'

She swallowed back her words as Keima prodded her on, guiding her out of the store to a seat beside the road, hoping that it would help her calm down a little.

'My performance at the Mai-High Festival will be my last performance as an Idol. I'm not going to be a singer any more... I'll release one more Single this summer and that will be my last album.'

Although Keima was shocked at her announcement, he could imagine what all of the other Kanon fans would do if they heard of the news; it would probably be the Headline News for all of Japan for a week or two.

If they ever found out that she quit because of him, he would naturally be facing death threats and Keima found himself missing some of Kanon's words as she continued.

'-didn't tell my manager and my contract expires at the end of the year... so, I decided to make a clean break from the industry. I contacted this company and they said they are doing a re-release with a new character so I thought I'll- Keima-kun are you listening to me?'

She smiled in a bitter sweet way and she laughed weakly as Keima asked her if she was doing it for him.

'Yes and no... Keima-kun gave me the courage to move on... but I wanted to be a voice actress by my own decision.'

That fact did not register with Keima for a moment and when it did, Keima stood up and stared at her in confusion.

'A voice actress?'

..

..

He seemed almost incredulous and in shock as he had not considered that a career change was in the works and he assumed that he did look silly when Kanon giggled at his reaction.

'Yes, a voice actress; a Seiyuu~ were you not paying attention to me? It'll be fun! The Drama CD was very interesting and I really liked it~ I think it would be fun, just as fun as what I am doing now, don't you think so?'

She smiled happily while Keima simply looked on, uncertain as to why she wanted to do all of this. Her motivations were good and all but wasn't this giving up what the both of them believed in and what she had worked so hard for?

'Why are you giving up your dream, Kanon? I... you knew why I gave you up then... so why are you.'

His lip trembled slightly, showing that he was indeed disturbed by her words and she smiled at him in response.

'I'm not giving up my dream... as a voice actress, I can still let others hear my voice... and to acknowledge the stories and things that I think are nice.

In fact, I think I would be able to bring more attention to the things that you liked, Keima-kun. I'm doing it, as I want to know more about what you like.'

A simple reasoning that Keima could not fully contradict and he nodded to let her continue on without interruption.

'I've read some of the reviews, watched some of them that had been adapted into animation... and I've even played one of the games... for a while, it's hard to keep playing one~ ahaha.'

Giggling shyly, Kanon looked up and she recited the names of the heroines that he had captured in one of the more popular games these few years and he was glad to see that she was truly touched by the story and the heroines.

..

..

'It's really fun and the stories are really very well thought of... but most importantly... I could feel the emotions, the feelings and the desperation that some of the Voice-Actresses felt when they recited the lines.

I could imagine them as if they were in front of me... telling me how they felt when going through the sad and happy moments in the game.'

She was actually crying and Keima did the only gentlemanly thing to do and he reached up to wipe her tears away, nodding in understanding to the emotional idol as she shook her head to gather her thoughts.

'Even though I only played through for a few hours... I was moved by their performance... their world is so sad... and yet, they were able to be so strong and so brave and... so real... that I didn't want it to be just a story. No, I really wanted it to be real, to meet them... Compared to them... I think, I'm not as much of an Idol than I think I am.'

She raised her hands to stop Keima who protested and wanted to defend her.

..  
..

'Although I am an idol... I am selfishly expressing myself, my songs to my fans... and although I might be a 'light' that Keima-kun sees as important... there are many other things that I could do too... even if it is only a small part... perhaps I can show others just how important and fun Keima-kun's games can be.

I think... that I've fallen in love with them too... the girls that I meet in the games and how they strive to be with their loved ones... is it odd, Keima-kun?'

It really was odd as Keima reckoned that Kanon could, just by singing achieve the same effects as what the voice actresses do in their life time. She could spread more important messages by her actions, but why would she wish to take such an unrecognized job?

Saying his views to her, Kanon was scandalized and she shook her head at his thoughts.

'No... although Keima-kun is right... but that doesn't mean I cannot be the first one to bring more attention to them; to be a voice actress is giving them recognition, to introduce the world to the many people, and to the the many different touching stories that your games can provide.'

She smiled and Keima realized that she had her mind made up and nothing was going to stop her. A part of him was happy and another, more sane and calculating, knew that Kanon would regret the decision, and he persuaded her not to give up her Idol career so casually.

To which Kanon eventually gave in to after she made him commit to a challenge.

..

..

'How about Keima-kun join me as a manager too? If Keima-kun can manage that girl-band 2B Pencils, Keima-kun could be trained to be my manager too~

Not as my Idol Manager, but as my Voice actress manager~ that way we can always be together right? Eh... No? Well... how about this then~'

Taking a breath, Kanon considered her options while Keima looked at her uneasily. He did not wish to see her ruin her career just because of a foolish impulse. He was the master of his games, and although he has deep respect for the Voice-Actresses and their roles, he did not wish to see Kanon give up everything due to his influences.

**'We'll decide on the day of the Mai-High Festival, Keima-kun. If your band, the 2B Pencils is able to outperform me... in any way that I see fit... I'll follow your advice and not give up my career... but if the 2B Pencils can't perform then... or be better than me, then Keima-kun will join me as my manager~ Of course, my manager will be the judge~ She can be very harsh on me too, Keima-kun~'**

..

..

It was an unreasonable request but Keima had the feeling that Kanon did want to say this from the beginning. He considered briefly before he nodded confidently, surely making Kanon a little rattled as Keima had the utmost confidence in the 2B Pencils.

'Alright... They will meet you in the Mai-High Festival... and you'll see how much they improved. They are after all, the girls who I thought were the most like you.'

Although Kanon was a little upset at him being so proud, the idol was nonetheless tickled pink by that prospect.

Perhaps Keima was right that the main purpose for this 'date' was this after all; a ploy to pull Keima back into her arms.

Even if she might not seem to be someone capable of underhanded means to achieve her goals, desperation had made Keima see a side of Kanon that he did not see before; that of a desperate, cornered girl desperately crawling and clawing for attention, no matter how she would gain them with.

* * *

..

..

_Elsewhere, the girls that Keima had confidence in had just finished breakfast and was setting up their instruments in Elsi's room for a practice session together after getting permission from Mari-san._

_Although disappointed to a degree that Keima had went out, the girls had rallied quite admirably from that long night; the girls had a very long bonding session with them sharing various stories about their youth, their family and about their past._

_It had made the girls closer to each other than before, if that was even possible now and it did not surprise Mari much when they settled down to breakfast and they echoed each others' 'Itadakimasu' before digging in, not even noticing that they did so._

_Of course, it was a little disconcerting how hard they were focusing on the band, with them talking about ideas on the songs that they can play, the outfits that they can wear even among breakfast and it took Mari to 'straighten' them out by reminding them that they are still high school students._

..

..

_'Enjoy yourselves more~ But have you finished your homework?'_

_Reminding them on the harsh realities of life, Mari nodded in satisfaction as all of them hurriedly started on their homework, but not without plenty of jokes and laughter drifting from the living room as Mari opened the Cafe for business and she felt a little warm inside at how close all of them were._

_Despite themselves and the desire to succeed in their dream, they were still children after all and Mari found that it was her role to guide them along to some extent._

_Perhaps her Keima-kun's focus has rubbed off on them somewhat as they did a lot of things together as a group, Chihiro as the leader, Ayumi as the one with the most energy and wildest ideas, Elsi as the one being the glue as well as the one most frequently 'teased' upon and finally Miyako who was the eccentric as well as the calmest of them all._

_It reminded her of her old biker gang where she felt like a family and who still visited her now and Mari was glad that Elsi had found such great friends._

..

_'Ready~~'_

_Smiling as Miyako started the first few notes to cue the girls, the 2B Pencils started on one of Keima's designated 'drills', a simple song that trained the girls to play together as a group while slowly developing their unique styles._

_Although it is important for them to play together in harmony, this was a band and not a troop of soldiers, despite the discipline that Keima tried to drill into them at times._

_They have to unique too, to have their own way of playing, their little quirks and small habits that made them special. It could be how Ayumi's facial expression was stiff at the start but as she played, it was apparent that she does loosen up as she got more comfortable._

_To how Chihiro liked to shake her head slightly to time the rhythms while playing, how Miyako swayed her body and followed Keima's suggestion as she did frequently cross her hands while playing, untangling them only when the notes were more complex and difficult._

_Lastly, how Elsi could even manage to play while looking panicked half of the time, it was part of her charm as she composed and steadied herself as the played, similar to Ayumi as she gained more confidence when she played together with her friends._

_All of them were a work in progress, but Katsuragi Keima was determined to make sure that they live up to their reputation even as he walked Kanon to the bus stop to mark the end of their first date._

_It was a first for the both of them and they looked at each other awkwardly, not wanting to be the first person to say good bye to the other party._

_Things had not gotten awkward between them and if anything, they had gotten a little more comfortable despite Kanon's challenge to Keima. This was odd but not that surprising, seeing as how the two of them had the utmost confidence that they would be the one who will win._

..

..

_'I won't say 'Good Bye', as it meant that we won't meet; I'll prefer to say: 'See you soon'.'_

_Keima was the one to finally break the silence by smiling at the girl as the bus that Kanon was getting on rolled up and the Idol smiled back in reply._

_'Then... see you soon, Keima-kun.'_

_'To you as well, Kanon.'_

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R! I think I surprised myself more than anyone else. I'll be taking a break for a while to Game P3P~ So look forward to a few drabbles in the mean time as well. If the mangaka has the right to take a break, so do I suppose.. Don't worry, there'll be updates still.  
**


	43. A New Destiny

**The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side**

**Chapter 43: A New Destiny**

**Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well.**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta-read and editing! ALL OF YOU ARE KANON FANS, HUH?  
**

* * *

**..**

**..  
**

It happened out of the blue, but Katsuragi Keima, **The Capturing God, **did expect this to happen as he looked up from his desk during lunch break, cruelly interrupted from his game.

He had sent the girls to check with the Student Council on whether they would be able to perform with 'additional help' from Music CDs and he knew what their response would be.

Naturally it would be a resounding 'No!' as it would be unfair for the other band that wished to perform. They would need a drummer to join up with them to be a true girl band and he knew exactly where to find one.

..

The girls however, were panicking when they learnt of the news and they rushed back as one to consult Keima during lunch, only to see him simply sitting there serenely playing his games and they paused, took one hard look at each other, nodding together in agreement before running to him as one.

'KATSURAGI! LISTEN!'

'I know, they said no. Do not worry, I'll find us a drummer.'

He interrupted them before they could get their message across and Keima simply smiled at their reaction. It was probably priceless as their jaws literally dropped further when he elaborated.

'In fact, I believe all of you had met her before. You do wish to have another girl as a member, no?'

Standing up, Keima was not surprised and at the same time resigned to see Miyako clapping her hands together in realisation She was indeed the dark horse in this 'route' as she seemed to know everything and nothing at the same time.

'So... that's why...'

Shaking her head, Miyako herself was torn between disbelief, joy and trepidation at knowing what Keima was up to.

On one hand, she did not think what he had been plotting was necessarily a bad thing, but on the other hand, she could not believe how brazen, audacious and confident Keima was in plotting and carrying out this 'plan' of his.

She did not know what was his motive was, or if there was any, but she would hold her reservations for later...When she interrogated him for the truth.

* * *

..

..

Leaving the girls mystified as to who the last member would be, Katsuragi Keima clammed up and returned to his usual activities in class when Lunch Break ended. The only marked difference was that he sent a casual email through his PFP.

Meanwhile however, the girls discussed amongst themselves about Keima's statement and confidence.

They were glad that Keima had someone in mind and would find them a drummer to join them, but it was with an air of apprehensiveness and relief that they discussed amongst each other.

..

_'neh, Ayumi-chan, who do you think that Kami-Onii-sama will invite to join us? He said it was someone we know, right? Perhaps it's someone in class?'_

_Wringing her hands, Elsi looked at her guitar while Ayumi played with her bass as well. She had pictured the 2B Pencils as themselves and themselves only... and although it was a fact that they needed a drummer, Elsi had always hoped that they would be playing together as friends even with the new addition._

_Wouldn't a new addition to the band change everything if she did not get along with her?_

_'Have faith in your Nii-san, Elsi-chan~ he's always talking about the 'Three S',desho? He wouldn't choose someone that's mean or unfriendly or anything...'_

_Not realizing that Keima's words hadsuch an impression on her that Ayumi actually did not find it embarrassing to quote the 'Three S's', Ayumi simply smiled reassuringly as she petted her lightly on the head._

_Chihiro on the other hand was a bit more restless, searching through her bag for the flyers that she had grabbed from the piles of advertisement material that Keima had shown them the week before._

_It was totally not because she was impressed that she swiped a copy of all of them, no, she simply wanted to make sure there wasn't any lies that Keima cooked up about them, that's all!_

..

..

_'...Wait, there isn't any about us as a full group! Not entirely... Katsuragi, he wanted to get that person to join us all this time!'_

_Unsure whether she should be happy or mad at the revelation, Chihiro found her feelings about the matter to be extremely complex and confusing and it was difficult for her to settle down._

_Miyako on the other hand simply smiled and waited patiently for them settle down again. It was very surprising for her to note that they were still clueless as to who that person was... but then again, she knew a little too much as she commented softly to them._

_'Anyway, instead of worrying about that... why not worry about what we are going to do about the publicity.'_

_'Y-you're right! I still want to know how he did get our measurements!'_

_'I'm sure he got the information through the same methods that enabled 'Handbook on Hot Single guys in Mai High' to be published and distributed.'_

_'S-shut up, Miyako!'_

* * *

..

..

It was worth noting that there had been a very marked change in the girl's life ever since last Friday. The school was abuzz about the '2B Pencils' as they were relatively unknown before their '3 minutes of fame' performing through the PA system.

Sure, Ayumi and Elsi had their fans, but besides the two of them, the other two girls were relatively unknown as they were normal and plain girls, to put it bluntly.

Keima had played the right card as by broadcasting their music to the school, they gained an instant following and cult status for being radically different than the other clubs, who were mostly more low-key due to their respective teacher in charge.

The 2B Pencils were of course the name of their band, but they were all members of the Light Music Club, a recognized club in the school and that made the feat an even more interesting topic.

Naturally, Keima had gotten told off by the school for disobeying orders but he had gotten away with it somehow, most likely due to the fact that he was Katsuragi Keima, the one student that the teachers could not control.

..

That school-rocking feat, coupled with their decent performance had helped raised their stock and profiles' tremendously over the weekend, especially when Keima uploaded a sample of their small performance online and it had generated a generally positive review as well as racking up quite some traffic over the past 2 days.

Lastly, Keima had conveniently placed some of the flyers that he had prepared into every single shoe locker In school, not to mention seeking permission and placing some flyers promoting the girl band on the bus stops, noticeboards as well as traffic poles on the routes leading to Mai High.

It was an aggressive advertising and publicity stunt, but it was worth it as a week ago, no one had even heard of the 2B Pencils, now they were the talk of the school and the town as well.

All of these factors resulted in the entire school's population taking note of the 2B Pencils and every one of the girls noticed that fact and felt like they were mini-celebrities when they were recognized, not difficult when Keima instructed them to bring their instruments to school every day for practise.

..

..

**_'Oh, you're part of the 2B Pencils right? I love your music! I'll definitely watch you play at the Mai-High Festival!'_**

**_'Great job there, you're Kosaka right? Keep on rocking girl!~'_**

**_'Ah Elsi-chan, you were great! I can't believe you hid that talent from us! We'll definitely support you!'_**

**_'OI! AYUMI!' That was a shock, but you're really good too! Just remember to come down to practise now and then too!'_**

..

..

As the girls were not aware of what Keima had done, they were initially unsure whether they were indeed the persons they were talking about.

But when they spotted the flyers, their initial reaction was one of surprise and embarrassed at their new found fame.

As they thought about it though, they felt a little pressured and anxious about the expectations of the others.

Was this what Nakagawa Kanon had to go through every day?

The girls had more respect for the budding Top idol as they made their way to school, each coping with the pressure individually when they met each other, as if by magic along with their manager in the shoe lockers.

Then, the tension and pressure just flowed away when they gathered together when Keima simply remarked.

'**All you have to do is to play and have fun doing it. Ignore what others expect you, you are playing for yourself... the others are listening to you. That was your objective and that shall always be your goal, no?'**

It seemed so simple that the girls all laughed as one before they headed to class together, Chihiro slapping Keima on his back, Miyako nodding, Ayumi simply tagging along and Elsi walking beside Keima, looking, feeling and expressing themselves as themselves, the 2B Pencils as a group.

..

They were never alone, no, they were never truly alone. If Elsi was the glue that they held them together, then Katsuragi Keima was the one putting the pieces together so they fitted.

* * *

..

..

'W-well, I can join you guys if you really wanted to! B-but there'll be conditions!'

Just as Miyako expected, this girl was the candidate and although she personally felt that it was kind of fitting, the other girls were simply floored when Keima introduced her to the group.

'W-what kind of conditions... then?'

Chihiro swallowed nervously as looked at the girl who came prepared with her own drum set and anything. She too, had no objections having this girl joining them. In fact, if she had known that she possessed the skills that they required, she would have persuaded her to join.

Or at least, tried to as the candidate in question, Haqua de Lut Herminium didn't really look very willing to join them at all.

Ayumi thought the same as she never imagined Haqua to be so embarrassed about being able to play the drums; it was like it was a dirty secret of hers that she didn't want anyone else to know... it was really quite surprising really... but then again, she herself did not imagine Haqua being a musician either.

Heck, she did not imagine that she herself would be playing the bass as well!

But the person that was the most shocked at this development was Elsi, ever since Elsi saw that it was Haqua, she had literally dropped to the floor on her knees.

'El-lsi... Stop crying, it isn't like not knowing that I can play the drums means that you aren't my best friend...'

Elsi had thought that she knew everything about Haqua and that dream was shattered when Haqua had impressed them with a drum solo. Her innocent and naïve heart felt like it was cracking and she only recovered when Keima helped her up and whispered softly to her.

..

..

'**There are things that one wishes to keep a secret, just like how you keep your deepest and inner most secret to yourself. Being able to play the drums must be something that Haqua wanted to keep secret till now. **

**For her to be willing to divulge that secret to all of you meant that you and the others have helped her to overcome something from her past.**

..

..

It was a very, very white lie for Keima and he found it a little irritating that he has become quite used to passing off such lies that he did not even bat an eyelid when he said that to Elsi.

Naturally, he caught sight of Miyako shaking her head disapprovingly at him and he decided to have a small talk with her later.

It would be disastrous if she did not approve of his plans; he was resigned to the fact that that Normal Girl had stumbled upon and had subsequently pieced together a significant portion of his plans so far and he did not wish for her to interfere at the most crucial point.

With those words, Elsi seemed to cheer up and she rushed forward to give Haqua a big hug.

'Haqua! Please join us! We'll get over your past together!'

Smiling happily and encouragingly at her, Haqua was mystified at Elsi's action till she caught Keima's eyes and realized that it was his fault, again.

'Aha.. yeah, alright Elsi... but I have my own conditions before I join the band, alright? It's not easy for me to... play again so...'

Coughing, Haqua eased Elsi off her before sitting up and addressing Chihiro with a big smile on her face.

'Let me be the lead singer. That's all I ask for.'

It was another crisis for the 2B Pencils and this time it concerned Chihiro as she was the designated Singer of the 2B Pencils.

Although it was uncommon and perhaps unheard of for the drummer to be the Singer, it was certainly possible in theory.

All of the girls turned to Keima, hoping that he would say something, anything at all but he did not offer any assistance as he simply shrugged and tossed the ball back into Chihiro's court, letting and forcing the leader of the 2B Pencils to make this decision by herself.

..

..

'L-let me discuss this with the rest of the group...'

Was all that Chihiro could muster at such a short notice and she retreated along with Ayumi and Elsi. Slipping beside Keima, Terada Miyako took the initiative to question Keima on this particular development after a short conversation with Chihiro.

..

_'Whatever you decide, Chihiro, I'll stand by your decision...'_

That was her short message and excuse for interrogating Keima right now and she got to the point immediately when Haqua joined the conversation as well.

'What is the meaning of this, Katsuragi, are you toying with us?'

Narrowing her eyes, Miyako kept her tone and voice controlled but when Haqua echoed the sentiment, Keima knew he had to take control of the situation soon or risk being injured by one of the two girls in front of him.

..

'It's the final test for Chihiro.'

He stated simply before explaining his motives to the two of them.

'She is undoubtedly the leader of the group... but she has been relying... no, all of you have been relying too much on me to make the decisions, for answers that you all should have contributed.

This is not my band, this is the 2B Pencils, the leader, must prove herself to be the leader.'

It was difficult to make hard decisions, but it was even more difficult to make one when it was regarding something that she held very dear to herself.

'If Chihiro is willing to put the group's interest above her own interest, it would show her leadership qualities.'

He concluded with a small sigh as Miyako did not seem convinced as she spoke up in defence of Chihiro.

'You're wrong, although we wish to perform as a group... I do not mean any offence, Haqua-san. But if Haqua-san were to be the lead singer, the 2B Pencils wouldn't be the same.'

Perhaps it was stubborn, but Terada Miyako believed that with all her heart. It was the same bond that Keima had formed that was stopping him from continuing his plans but to the two girl's surprise, he actually smiled and gestured the two girls to look behind them.

It was Chihiro and she seemed to have made up her mind.

..

'Haqua-san... we made our decision... and I hope that, you will accept it too. I know Miyako and Katsuragi will support me so... I-I'm sorry... I can't give up my dream just like that. I know it's selfish, I know I shouldn't do that...

and I should let Haqua-san join us as we really need a drummer to play with us...'

She took a deep breath and continued, her eyes shining with emotion as she tried to express herself and Keima applauded her for the effort.

He himself was the magician of words and he knew how much of an impression a speech would reflect on others.

It was not the content that mattered; it was the emotions and the feelings that one received from the speech, even if it was a horrible mess of random words or gargles... with enough emotion, anyone can impress and inspire a crowd for the simplest of reasons.

'But, it is for that same reason that I can't give up now. It is due to my selfishness that I formed the 2B Pencils, it is the same reason that allowed us to play so far without giving up... it is this same selfish reason, this selfish person that made a promise to Kanon-chan that we will play with her, on the same stage on Mai-High Fest.'

She clenched her fist and placed it over her heart and the other girls, excluding Haqua, found it natural for them to do the same as well.

'We made a promise. It may be a selfish one, but it is something I won't ever give up on. So I'm sorry, Haqua-san, if it comes to selfishness, I won't lose to you... please join us to play the drums with us... but, I won't let you be the Lead Singer.'

..

..

Her decision was clear and it was one that perhaps Keima had thought of as possible as he merely smiled and shook his head in resignation.

For Haqua though, although she was stunned at it not going according to Keima's plan, she was impressed by the 'aura' that Chihiro had possessed when giving her answer and she laughed weakly as well.

'So that's your answer? Hahahaha~ All of you are as interesting as I imagined...'

Smiling while rubbing away the tears of laughter, she did not expect the girls to pull one over Keima at all and she shrugged while answering.

'I won't play the bad guy any more but I won't beg either, so I'll join your little girl band for Elsi's sake.'

Shaking her head, she nonetheless blushed when the girls all converged and hugged her tightly.

'H-hey! D-don't hug me so soon! Hey, is anyone listening? KATSURAGI! DO SOMETHING!'

..

..

* * *

**Author's Note: And now the gang is complete! I'm working on Persona 3 now too, check it out if you have the time. Not to mention, DO MY POLL :D  
**


	44. Renewal of Friendship

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 44: Renewal of Friendship**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you _Kaiser Dude _for the beta read and edit. Do my poll!**

* * *

..

..

It was a while before all the girls calmed down and released Haqua, much to her relief and they spent several minutes looking at each other before the devil shouted at Keima to tell them what to do next.

Keima was ready for that however and he showed everyone why he was the **Capturing God** when he pulled out a new stack of promotional materials and placed them in front of the girls, who scrambled to take chairs to sit in front of his daily lectures once again, leaving Haqua confused till Elsi pulled her to sit beside her as Keima cleared his throat, pushed his glasses up and went to his old lecturing mode again.

..

'So now that our band is "full" with all our permanent members with us.'

Looking at Haqua evenly, Keima nodded when Haqua reluctantly nodded her head, unsure of what she was getting herself into. She was saying the truth as she was willing to help out partly due to Elsi as she wanted to keep tabs on the girl's situation.

She did not fully trust Keima to look after Elsi's best interest as she knew that sometimes, it was necessary to sacrifice small details to achieve the bigger picture.

But Haqua was unsure how Keima viewed Elsi. Did he view her as expendable, or was she a very important part of his life?

She would want to hope that it was the latter but she was not going to take the chance... she knew that if she was in his shoes, she would try to go for the best possible ending.

The ending that made everyone happy and she knew that Keima had the ability and the brains to make that happen.

So why did he instruct her to make such an unreasonable request to the girls in the first place?

..

..

'Haqua-san?'

Snapping out of her thoughts by Ayumi, who passed her a flyer, Haqua was a little embarrassed as she was still using honorifics to address her but that was to be expected, it was difficult to expect anyone to welcome a stranger into their circle of close friends so abruptly... even if she was Elsi's best friend.

But then, all her previous thoughts were wiped clean when she read what was on the flyers and she stood up immediately and screamed at Keima.

'KATSURAGI! WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS? WHY- HOW?'

Pointing to the flyer, the latest one in the batch that the girls were reading, the original 2B Pencils were resigned to seeing their vital statistics, but what impressed them was that Keima had included some photographs that portrayed each one of them in a flattering light that they had never taken before.

How did he get the sources?

..

'I have my sources. If I revealed them, you would no doubt murder them in cold blood. Not to mention, that they generally are supported by the majority of the students in school. I would not wish to get in their bad books for selling them out.'

A very valid reason and Haqua found herself outvoted as the rest of the girls merely sighed and continued reading. After a week with Katsuragi, they had become kind of accustomed to the tricks that the boy can pull behind their backs and Haqua merely scowled angrily at Keima before quieting and sitting down again.

'I hope you are satisfied, I included the reasons for the bands formation, your dream, information about the band's players as well as small biographies of all of you. I hope you do not mind...'

Of course Keima was not going to care whether they minded and he continued almost immediately before Haqua had the chance to retort.

It was tiring for Haqua as she was the only one actively playing the 'straight man' to his insane stunts, and she decided to stop doing that for a while and study the situation.

How these girls even stand his way of managing in the first place was a mystery to her.

..

..

'As you have noticed, there has been a marked increase in interest for the 2B Pencils, I trust that at least in class, everyone was talking about all of you?'

Nodding in satisfaction when they nodded their heads, the girls were a little happy that they were recognized but with his words, came the weight of the expectations and Keima had to reassure them again.

'Of course, I have no intentions of blowing all of you up with hot air or disappoint the public who are anticipating your debut. Our publicity campaign is going on well, too well in fact... perhaps all of you are more famous than I imagined...'

The girls laughed at that and Chihiro spoke for the girls when she declared.

'All of us are cute and adorable girls, desho?'

'As expected from our Leader!~ But pity it had to come from Chihiro, the one girl that shouldn't say that neh~'

Teasing her almost immediately, Haqua felt even more left out when she could only sit there, feeling unfamiliar with their synergy.

It was probably something that she should expect, but this feeling was more dreadful than she imagined and she was oddly relieved and glad that Elsi choose this time to hold her hands and give it a small squeeze.

Elsi was always a person who was quick to sense unease in another person and Haqua felt better almost immediately.

'Therefore, I am not beating about the bush further. The real training from hell will start today. I trust that all of you are properly rested from the weekend?'

Pushing his glasses up as the girls nodded, Keima continued with a smirk.

'We should go now. I booked the multi-purpose hall for today's rehearsal. Bring all your instruments with you, I'll wait for you there.'

* * *

..

..

'Haqua...'

Hearing someone call her name, Haqua looked up from her packing of her drum set to see an unexpected person waiting for her.

It was Terada Miyako, and she had her piano-set in her bag as she smiled cheerfully at her.

'It is alright to call you Haqua, right? I think that since we will be playing together, it'll be nice to call each other by our names.'

'a-ah, of course, Miyako... Is it alright for me to call you by that as well? If it sounds odd, please tell me too.'

Scratching her head, Haqua felt extremely vulnerable now as Elsi was nowhere in sight. It was not that she was unused to making friends with others but it was that she did not have the initiative this time.

Usually, she was in a more advantageous situation but this time, Miyako had the upper hand and was directing the flow of the conversation and that left Haqua nervous.

From her conversation earlier with Keima, Haqua could deduce that Terada Miyako was actually quite an exceptional character.

An oddity, in fact, a human who was unnaturally perceptive like Keima and she found herself tongue tied and nervous. This was especially so since she had not expected her of all people to take the chance to be alone with her.

'There's no need to be nervous or too formal with us, Haqua...we're friends now. I can share your pain of having to pack that bulky equipment around... it's really heavy, I wish Katsuragi-kun could help us with that too.'

..

Sticking her tongue out, Miyako made a pouting expression that made Haqua laugh and as Miyako came over to help her pack, Haqua found herself telling Miyako about her grouses about Keima, the conversation leading from the drum set to the many inconveniences that Keima had her do in the past. The fact that she was able to do so surprised her as she was not one to complain about her woes to others.

'You're right, Katsuragi should be more sensitive to others! Hmph!'

'You really do like Katsuragi-kun.'

She stated matter of factedly and Haqua found it surprising that she did not immediately felt depressed or find the need to retort that statement.

'Mm... I guess I really do. I should stop talking about him... neh?'

Smiling naturally to her, Haqua was thankful to Miyako. Perhaps she had pulled the best move of her life time in meeting and telling Miyako in secret a few days ago. Having Miyako by Elsi's side was a huge relief to her and even now she was being a very good listener and... perhaps a good friend.

..

'But, you like Elsi more, desho?'

Again hitting the nail on the head, Haqua found it not surprising anymore and she realized why the girls were 'immune' to Keima's eccentricity. It was true that that getting used to something can be a very dangerous thing indeed.

Taking Haqua's silence as a yes, Miyako continued as she helped Haqua pack the last of her instrument into the bags.

'That's why you decided to learn how to play the drums... for Elsi's sake desho?'

Stunned initially, Haqua decided to give up and simply nod her head, turning to look at her with an apprehensive smile. She was not sure what reaction Miyako would have but if she gets punished or slapped, Keima was going to pay.

'Yes... do you... hate me for lying to all of you? I picked it up over the weekend... I wanted to help Elsi achieve her dream. She's so ditzy... but she did so much for me that I wanted to...'

Lowering her head, Haqua shivered slightly in fear. Yes, she was afraid, she did not wish to lie to them, or to anyone else.

Unlike Keima, Haqua was just an innocent and naïve girl very deep in her heart. She might appear to be aloof, but she didn't wish to hurt anyone, much less say a lie if she could help it.

But she had been playing the 'bad guy' earlier and even if it had all turned out for the best, she could have been responsible for breaking up the 2B Pencils in a small way if she had her way and Chihiro had caved to her request.

..

'No, I do not hate you. I wanted to say, Thank you.'

Miyako smiled as she guided Haqua to straighten her back to look at her in the eye, back straight with pride and dignity.

'I wanted to say thank you as I knew that you had to go through for Elsi, to learn playing the drums in such a short period to join us, I picked up a copy of the notes that Katsuragi-kun prepared for you that night.'

Putting a finger on her lips, Terada Miyako, the hidden dragon and rival to Katsuragi Keima as the protagonist, smiled while continuing.

'Although I don't know whether Katsuragi-kun put you up to it or that you volunteered. I know that you put in your all to learn how to play... as a person who learnt how to play from a young age... I am jealous of your talent as well as... your dedication to Elsi-chan. You really, really, really like her, Haqua~ And, I really like people who are like that.'

Hugging her again, Miyako seemed to have taken more than one leaf from Keima's book as Haqua laughed as she tried to hold back the tears that was forming around her eyes.

..

..

'Th-that's mean, Haqua!'

But once again, Keima gave Miyako a run for her money when the door slid open again and all of the girls, Chihiro, Ayumi and Elsi ran into the room to join the other two girls.

'A-ah e-everyone!'

Naturally, Keima appeared as he leaned against the door, a casual smile on his face as the girls all individually struck Haqua on the forehead for lying to them.

'I expected better from Haqua!'

It was Chihiro's turn to flare up, but it was only momentarily as she offered a hand to Haqua, who took it and shook hands with her.

'But... you're really, very good. And you did that for Elsi, I can't be mad at you for that.'

Grinning, Chihiro winked as Ayumi simply smiled and sort of paced around Haqua before sighing and nodding her head as well.

'I think... Chihiro-chan and Miyako-chan took all the good lines! But I'm different! I don't care why Haqua-chan did that at all!'

Giggling as Haqua blinked at her in confusion, Ayumi simply stated that she liked Haqua's music.

'Ehh?'

'Whatever Haqua-chan did from her music, I knew that she was sincere in wanting to play us. I won't dislike a person who plays from her heart, just like Katsuragi-kun said~ So... I know it's a little late, but Haqua-chan~'

Doing an elaborate pose, Ayumi 'teamed up' with Elsi and directed all attention to Elsi, who simply glomped her to the floor again while shouting on the top of her lungs.

'WELCOME TO THE MAI-HIGH LIGHT MUSIC CLUB AND TO THE 2B PENCILS!'

..

..

Touched at the spectacle, Haqua wondered, truly wondered if everything was planned by Keima all along; the dropping of the notes, the egging and provocation of Chihiro and Miyako, all of them to produce this effect.

She was truly welcomed now and she shed more tears as the girls helped her carry her bag, with Keima carrying the majority in the end to the multi-purpose hall.

They had a practice session to do after all!

* * *

..

'Hmm...'

It was difficult to judge what Katsuragi Keima was thinking. That was a fact that was echoed by all of the girls as he paced in front of them after their first 'official' full-rehearsal.

After going through the basics, a gruelling half an hour session of repetition of a basic score till they were synchronized perfectly, Keima was finally satisfied and called for them to take five before continuing with a real practise session.

Having a drummer carrying the beat and tempo really helped but as Haqua had just picked up the drums, she was not quite used to playing in a faster beat as the other girls and they had to adapt to her beat instead of playing naturally.

It was of course not her fault and none of the girls blamed her. Instead they coached her with reading the scores, helping her to get the right rhythm while Keima looked on approvingly.

After an hour and a half, Haqua's talent in working hard paid off and they were in sync and playing together with the girls almost perfectly.

..

'Good job. I knew you can do it.'

Even earning praise from Keima, Haqua grinned and said that was to be expected and she was in high spirits till the full-rehearsal took place and Keima worked the 2B Pencils to exhaustion. He forced them to repeat the first minute of a new song as Keima lamented that Chihiro really did not portray the emotion of the song well enough.

'... Hmm...'

After a long struggle and straining her voice a little, Chihiro whispered to Haqua for her to help her with the song.

'EHH?'

She had no intentions to be the lead singer and she would have rejected that position even if Chihiro had given up the role. It looked like Haqua had no choice as none of the other girls were willing to take up that role and after pleading from Chihiro, she finally agreed and joined Chihiro in a duet of the song, alternating with her with the lyrics as planned when Keima gave them a break.

..

..

This time though, the girls were glad that Keima was surprised at the difference that simple change made and he was finally satisfied, providing the girls with refreshments as he shared his thoughts of today's practise session.

'We still have some way to go, but all of you are improving. I am glad to see that the 'Three S' are alive in you and are thriving well.'

Was it really all thanks to him that Haqua was accepted into the group so easily and quickly? The girls will probably never know the truth but they were happy that they found such a great team member so quickly.

'As you can probably tell, I would like to recommend that Haqua be the supporting singer aiding Kosaka in her role.'

Letting his views be known, he allowed the idea to sink in before elaborating.

'I have to say that it is not that I find fault in Kosaka's voice, it is that she has difficulty with some pitches... it would be taxing on her voice as well if we were to be practicing so often... having Haqua to help share her burden would resolve most, if not all of the issues.'

Keima took the silence as consent and he had to smile at how Haqua nervously looked at Chihiro and the other girl simply reassuring her with a shake of her head and a thumbs-up.

..

..

Realizing one's own fault was the right way to proceed and Keima was glad to see Chihiro being a good role model.

'We might need for all of you girls to sing as well, on occasions where the song requires it. You're not just a girl band, you're a group if entertainers. All of you will have your time in the spotlight... I hope that arrangement is agreeable.'

Seeing a hand being raised up, Keima wondered if there was really an objection when Ayumi spoke up for the group.

'Neh, Keima-kun, isn't it about time to stop being so formal with us? Even if you're our manager, it's kind of odd to hear you calling Haqua-chan as Haqua and Elsi-chan as Elsi and calling me Takahara... isn't that being biased?'

Oh, so they were jealous about that...

'If you insist, Ayumi, I do not mind that at all...'

Sighing, he sighed again when all of the girls, with the exception of Haqua of course, sat up straighter as he continued.

'Now, about the audition next week...

..

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank _Kaiser Dude_ for this update, I totally forgotten about it and it was him who threw the book at me for forgetting about it.. To compensate there'll be another chapter up shortly.  
**


	45. Setting Standards

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 45: Setting Standards**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Where oh where is _dongaro?_ But I have _Kaiser dude _though so thank you for the beta edit~. R&R!**

* * *

..

..

The Audition will take place in less than 7 days as it would be held on Monday after class and from the reply from the Student Council that he had picked up during lunch break, the 2B Pencils were around the last few of the performers and Keima commented that it could be a good or a bad thing.

'If the others are good, the judge's mind would be made up before we get to our turn.'

Getting up and pacing about, the girls follow his movement as he wrote down several names on the whiteboard that he had somehow managed to produce with Elsi's help.

It was the list of other clubs and musicians of the other competitors yearning for a spot together and the girls looked at it closely in dismay. Besides the 2B Pencils (Light Music Club), there were other more established Student Formed bands along with the usual Symphonic Band, the Rock Music Club that were trying to get a piece of the action. Among them was a band made up of one of the hottest boys in school, a few of them being the ones that had mocked Keima earlier.

The girls looked at each other nervously, with the exception of Haqua who simply nodded and clapped her hands together happily.

'That's great! It looks like we can go all out then.'

Was it this reason that made Keima decide to ask Haqua? Her audacity and her confidence was enough to make the other girls pause and then laugh as well.

With a single line, Haqua restored the confidence and faith the girls needed and Keima's gamble paid off handsomely. There was a reason to add Haqua into the group of girls as quite simply, the girls needed an authority figure in the group, a critic if anything as she had the tendency to act before thinking, rebutting him and anyone else if they did not make sense to her.

Her frequent complains to him was proof of that and Keima knew that the girl has a brilliant mind, capable of thinking ahead despite any situation...if she did not get too flustered.

..

..

The 2B Pencils needed someone like that who was not as eccentric as Miyako, it was not that Keima disliked the girl, there were times that he was just afraid that the girl will mess up his best laid plans.

Furthermore, Haqua agreed with his plan as it would help her keep a very close eye on Elsi and her friends.

With Haqua around, Keima would be more at ease and that would free him up to put more effort into finding the truth.

That video game store was the missing linking that he had discovered and it had links to all of the girls as they had visited the shop one time or another over summer.

_'I'll do a check on the store, alright? Aren't you giving me enough work already?'_

Telling Haqua that, Keima knew that Haqua was actually very excited about that lead as a piece of her raiment detached from her and flew off into the distance the moment he informed her of the lead.

'Precisely... but I do not wish to see all of you being complacent. It is important to know your enemy but it is more important to know yourself. You know your own weaknesses, but now it is time to know your strengths.'

Keima smiled as he sat down in front of the girls while giving detailed findings that he noted during their rehearsal.

..

..

First of all was Ayumi as although she looked nervous at the start, her smile was natural from the beginning to the end and her form never wavered despite her apparent nervousness and it was a very good thing. Now she has to focus on the visual effect more than the actual playing. That is if Ayumi could continue the same form, somehow her performance would vary from great to horrible depending on whether Keima was staring directly at her.

He was was genre savvy enough to know what that symbolizes and he quietly vowed to make her overcome that bad habit.

She had practiced so much that it was becoming second nature to her and Ayumi blushed when Keima tossed her a few Plasters for the blisters on her hands, much to the annoyance of some of the other girls.

For Chihiro, the girl was still not as proficient in playing as she should be, but Keima pointed out that she too was becoming more natural and the mistakes she made was due to her being a little too fast, which was a good thing as she was going with the beat of the song.

It was difficult to play while singing and Keima noted that Chihiro looked and projected confidence all the time while singing and playing, causing the girl to laugh awkwardly at the praise.

Thus, for Chihiro, it was the exact opposite, the girl needed to practice a little more and the patriotic is that there should be no mistakes while playing. It was mandatory for her to act and be natural while playing as the lack of time for the 2B Pencils meant that image would be preferred over skills in her case.

Regretfully, just like how Miyako had pointed out to him, Chihiro did project herself more as a boyish figure, her actions were more masculine than feminine one and it was a harsh reality that he would have to suggest that to her in private as well.

..

..

'We are practicing on borrowed time.'

He stated simply while the girls nodded as he continued his dissection of their strengths and their weaknesses without missing a beat.

Next he commented on Elsi and not surprisingly, Elsi was a wreck visually, she looked too shy and timid to be natural on the stage. But paradoxically, it was exactly that trait that made her look so great on stage.

Her shy demeanor as well as how she projected herself as a submissive individual more than compensated for the aggressive nature of Haqua and Chihiro and she was perhaps the most striking and eye-catching of the entire band, dominating the entire audience's attention till she settled down and began playing normally.

It was a bad and a good thing as it has the benefit of softening the image of the 2B Pencils as the above mentioned girl's aggressive playing style made them seem more like rebels than a casual Light Music Band.

He assumed that allowing them to develop their own playing styles might have finally backfired, or had I? It was much easier for them to develop their own style for playing and odd as Elsi's playing style was, it was still one and Keima cannot dismiss the 'success' of that girl in her image as it suited her perfectly.

Of course, it was difficult to express this to the girls and Keima phrased it as delicately to the girls as much as he could without embarrassing Elsi and he explained that although it wasn't necessarily a bad thing, he would like Elsi to face the audience occasionally as well.

Besides her 'disastrous' performance and pose, Elsi was getting better in her playing and Keima praised her for that as she was less reliant on staring at the strings than before and after a few more practices, she might be able to play well without them.

..  
..

For Miyako, Keima noticed that just like her role in the group, Miyako's growth and influence has been limited to being the supporter role and in this case, Miyako's presence countered out the overwhelming arrogant and confident Haqua by being very passive and less flashy.

With her positioning besides Haqua and behind Elsi, Miyako balanced the 2B Pencils' image by being surprisingly normal and yet effective in her role.

Keima realized and noted that Miyako had thought through her role in the group very well as she had ditched the fancy moves that Keima had demonstrated to her before and was instead playing her piano the old way, carrying an air that she did not had before.

It could be described as 'polite' as her playing strokes were clean and did not intrude on the others unlike Haqua's or Chihiro's did. The two of them demanded and drew attention to them while playing and Miyako was the supporter, the hidden backhand that provided the additional music to bolster their presence.

Keima was not letting her go unnoticed and he promptly declared Miyako as having achieved the role that she had decided to take in the 2B Pencils.

..

'Take a leaf out of Miyako's book. Everyone of you must put the band above everyone's personal ambition.'

Referring to her by her name, a great sign of respect for Keima, the other girls nodded solemnly while Miyako simply sighed and shook her head, stating that was not her intention at all.

Whether it was intentional or not, Keima informed Miyako that after Haqua, she would be another 'main' lead as her singing would be ideal as well for it's surprise factor and the fact that Keima had confidence in her voice as well.

'I'm sure that you'll be the hidden gem in the 2B Pencils. Even if it may sound odd, but the music from the Band originated from you.'

..  
..

Moving on to Haqua, Keima could describe her playing in a single word: 'Energetic.'

That is if he wished not to get killed by Haqua as she was definitely one of the most 'energetic' of the whole band. True to her ambition of being the lead singer of the Band, she has channeled all of her energy and frustrations into her playing and for the most part, she was really good at it.

Once again Keima has to admit that Haqua was a true genius and not a genius of hard work in some areas. There was simply no way that anyone, even Haqua would be able to pick up the drums so easily and readily to be able to play so well.

Granted, she had to have the score in front of her with the various notes scribbled on them to play, but Haqua was definitely more than a novice and was approaching Ayumi's proficiency and confidence in playing the drums with just barely 2 days of practice under her belt.

Of course, Keima suspected that Haqua had burned the midnight oil for him and after closer inspection, it was easy to note the heavier than usual makeup that she wore to conceal the dark circles around her eyes and Keima found himself unable to really criticize Haqua for her enthusiasm.

He did wish that she would be less flashy as she was not supposed to be the leader or the focal point of the 2B Pencils but the moment she started to share the role of the lead singer with Chihiro, his opinion changed as it looked right.

..

Not only was Haqa able to draw attention to her, it was positive attention as well as it would centralize the attention on Chihiro along with her.

Just like Elsi, Haqua was remarkably popular in school as she was able to display and maintain the image of a perfect transfer student, an image that Keima was uncomfortable with. Not to mention that Haqua was an unnatural beauty like Elsi, the two of them carried an aura that marked them as clearly different from the normal girls.

But it was good for Chihiro as well as the two of them were so remarkably different that the were unique as a duo.

Keima explained that to the two of them and they looked at each other uncertainly till Chihiro grinned and high-fived the other girl, commenting that if she had more fans than Haqua, it would just mean that looks aren't everything.

It quickly followed with Miyako teasing Chihiro that she might just win if she took up a boyish image and it finally culminated in Keima remarking that whatever the case, the two of them would have to work well together, causing all of them to nod and smile at each other reassuringly.

* * *

..

..

'After careful consideration... I would like to know your thoughts on the image of the band that I have been delaying up till now. I trust that some of you...'

He gestured to the very excited Miyako and the strangely silent Chihiro as examples as he coughed and continued.

'Have suggestions and thoughts that you wish to bring forward. As I am a fair manager, I will like to hear your ideas and views before I reveal my concept to all of you.'

Crossing his arms, he made a comment that the floor was open to all and he was not surprised when Miyako jumped up, clapping her hands together before giving her version of what the 2B Pencils should be like.

'We should all dress up in Goth!'

'REJECTED!'

It was shot down almost immediately by the rest of the girls who did not look too happy at that image. Although they had no problems with Street Fashion, they were strangely afraid that Miyako would push the concept to the extreme and make them have piercings as well as odd and stiff hairstyles, a fact that Miyako protested as soon as her idea was shot down by the other girls.

Surprisingly though, Keima rejected her ideas as well for obvious reasons.

It'll just destroy any chance the girls have left of even making the cut for the final day and he simply sighed as Miyako elaborated.

..  
..

'I did not mean dark punk goth...'

Going into layman terms, Miyako explained while pulling out her cellphone to illustrate with some pictures she took in the streets.

'I don't want to wear clothes with excessive chains, collars, piercings and dark high heel boots, no I won't.'

But Miyako did flinch and break out in cold sweat as Ayumi and Chihiro raised their eyebrows at the comment, seemingly unconvinced.

Still, the plucky girl continued on as she passed her cell around, showing pictures of Harajuku Style Gothic Loli fashion and to no one's surprise, Elsi and Ayumi were the two that were hooked on the images, browsing through Miyako's research while the other girls looked at them warily.

Although Haqua was new to the group, having met them only once or twice before joining to them. The strong bonds the girls had with each other meant that they were very transparent with each other and to Haqua, who was easily welcomed into their circle due to the strong bond that Elsi had with the girl.

But even with that small amount of knowledge, Haqua knew that Miyako was an unpredictable girl and from listening to Keima's brief on the girls as well as her own observations, she was not fully convinced that this was all Miyako wanted.

'Of course, we'll have Chihiro dressed up more like a boy and Haqua be dressed in Cute Lolita and we'll have the mascot and the leading duo for the band!

She ended up saying something explosive and it was all the others could do to restrain the two lead singers as they lunged towards Miyako, who jumped back to avoid being strangled by the two of them.

'LIKE HELL I'LL DO THAT!'

'I KNEW THERE WAS A CATCH SOMEWHERE!'

..  
..

After calming the two of them and to some degree, restraining them, the 2B Pencils sat down and considered the proposal. Harajuku Street fashion was becoming quite common in the country and beyond and as it was still within the grounds of 'decent' wear that does not violate the school regulations, Miyako's suggestion was quite a good one.

Not to mention the small smirk that Keima had on his face when he mentioned that having a duo lead like that would surely increase their fan base.

'Even if due to the technical reasons, we can't get the two of them to kiss.'

He expected the 'aww' from Miyako and he raised one hand to stifle the two of them as they howled:

'WHAT TECHNICAL REASONS!'

'I suppose the two of you wish to have your reputation intact... however, as it would be no doubt contribute to our success if you two do what Miyako suggested, the two of you have my agreement to perform that act.'

Smiling as the two girls , Haqua and Chihiro looked at each other before blushing red, Keima got off their backs as he cleared his throat to get their attention again.

'Although I believe that Haqua would look radically different and provide a fresh image if she were to adopt the Cute Lolita fashion, I believe that if we do implement your idea, it would be better for the two of them to be dressed in more... bisexual wear.'

It was an odd term to use and Keima explained further.

..

..

'Miyako's idea is not flawed. The band must have attractive individuals to draw the attention of others. Besides being able to play well, all of you must dress well and must project an image that the school can accept as well as standing out from your competition.'

His point being, the bands that were formed by students had a higher chance of being chosen then the bands who were formed by the school as they would be willing to go against the system and dress in clothes that are not that suitable for the school or perform songs that are... not suitable for the intended audience that school is trying to project.

'Basically, the Mai High Festival is not just a festival for the students. It is a festival for the School as well to attract potential students to the school by inviting their parents to see what the School is promoting. The school would not select any band or group that will go against the values of the school.'

The girls agreed with him and allowed Keima to continue his explanation.

'To have the most chance of success, we must fulfill two different criteria. The first is that we must be very different from the other groups aspiring to play in the Mai-High Festival whether in looks, performance as well as why we are performing for them. It is here that the '3 S' come to play once again.'

Haqua tilted her head in confusion while the girls looked confused at how the 'Triple S' factor could come to play in such a weird situation again.

..

..

'The First **S**, **Shared Story **is why the five of you are playing right now. They will no doubt ask you why you wish to play for the Mai-High Festival and what you wish to play in the first place. Chihiro has delivered the answer, didn't she?'

He nodded in satisfaction as Chihiro turned red the moment he singled her out and she scratched her head uneasily.

'The Second **S, Sister-ship **is the image of the Group. All of you will display your bond together, your image will mesh together whatever clothes you are wearing and regardless of the clothes, all of you will complete each other somehow in one way, you will look good as one.'

Nodding his head, the girls were awestruck at his reasoning and they wondered not for the first time if everything up till now has been planned by him.

'The Last **S, Showmanship and Skill** is obvious... your performance must strike a chord with the audience, to make them cheer you on no matter what you sing. The lyrics might be silly and the song in general might not suit your image at all... but that does not matter. What matters is that you must connect the audience in way that the others could not.'

Basically they could not use too provocative songs, outfits while still looking unique and fresh to the audience as well as the students.

With such a demanding audience, could the 2B Pencils really pull it off?

..

..

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**Author's Notes: Placing bets, anyone? I've not been writing much about TWOGK for some time, Persona has my focus but I won't drop this story yet :D  
**


	46. A Song From Him

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 46: A Song From Him**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Note: Thanks to _Kaiser Dude_** **for the beta-edit as always**

* * *

..

..

'Basically we just have to look neat and look sexy at the same time, no?'

Saying something scandalous, Ayumi smiled cheerfully while the other girls looked at her in an odd fashion. But Keima was not THAT surprised as Ayumi was a fashionable girl.

In many ways, she was more girly than the any of the other girls on the mere virtue that she treats herself just like a girl.

Sure, Chihiro was obsessive above boys in her own way but she carries herself more of a boy than anything else. Haqua was a conservative sort at heart, even if her clothes make one wonder on that, thigh-highs and all.

Miyako was eccentric, but she likes to project her inner desire and wishes on others, not herself... and finally, Elsi...

well, Elsi is Elsi, there's no need to explain further.

'Ayumi!'

Finding her voice at last, Chihiro was scandalized and upset but Ayumi simply batted her eyelids with a smile.

'Neat and sexy~~ It'll be a challenge!'

She cheered and everyone wasn't sure if Ayumi was Ayumi anymore, her image took a big hit after her words as they could not believe that someone with a good reputation like Ayumi would suggest something like that.

'There's nothing wrong with that at all~ it's not like I'm going topless or anything.'

She smiled and the other girls cuddled together in a group, shooting dirty looks at her while Ayumi simply rolled her eyes and commented that they were being old-fashioned.

'We're girls; we have the right to strut our stuff and dress up, right, Keima-kun?'

All eyes were on Keima as he considered his own options as this was indeed a tricky situation.

Basically, the image of 'sexy' was different in Ayumi's than the other girls and Keima felt a little sorry for Ayumi. She probably meant no harm and just wanted to let her hair down some.

While the other girls were probably having indecent thoughts, he called them out on that without holding back.

..  
..

'All of you have the wrong perception. The term 'sexy' does not mean that you have to be dressed like... whatever you girls are thinking.'

Emphasizing by slowing his speech, Keima's barb and comment hit home as they all turned red, Ayumi being the sole exception as her mouth opened in realization and she narrowed her eyes in disapproval at them.

Between the disappointed look from Ayumi and the disapproving one from Keima, the other girls relented and apologized for their misunderstanding.

'Who's thinking dirty now?'

Keima commented and this while Haqua and Chihiro bit back the anger as they were truly in the wrong.

'Harajuku fashion is fine with that, I'm supporting Miyako's suggestion and I think Chihiro would look good in a pair of jeans, matching jacket as well as some accessories like Elsi. She'll look cool, boyish and yet feminine at the same time. It's the new model for woman after all~'

Ayumi rallied Miyako with her words and she added on as well.

'There's no need to worry, Chihiro, we'll make you look very cool and handsome! Leather with tight jeans suits you as well as your figure; the girls will die for you, Chihiro-chan!'

'THERE'S NOTHING TO BE HAPPY ABOUT!'

She shouted out again, panting in exasperation while Ayumi took control of the situation, drawing out a proposed outfit for Chihiro while Keima just looked on silently and he only spoke when Chihiro reached out for his help.

..  
..

'Well, I think that it I not necessarily a bad thing. Your image would be the most pronounced, provocative as well as eye catching as well, unless you rather wear something frilly? It seems like they are set on the Harujuku Fashion Style, it's either a more boyish look or something girly like what Ayumi is drawing now.'

Pointing to the pink frilly monstrosity that Ayumi was showing Elsi with the help of her cellphone, Chihiro did a double take and accepted the clothes that were chosen for her.

'I'll do it! It'll look good on me right?'

She asked hopefully and was rewarded with a smile and a nod from Keima.

'Naturally, I will never allow anything less.'

As expect from the **Capturing God** as he reassured Chihiro completely and she looked acutely embarrassed as she nodded her head back.

'Yeah, thanks... Katsuragi...'

She managed to say out before turning back to look at the girls arguing about what they were going to wear. In contrast, her outfit was decided and was going to be one of the simpler ones when compared to the others.

But Keima reassured her again when he whispered to her: 'Simple is always the best' and Chihiro cheered up easily. It seemed like she was taken care of in the visual department after all.

If there was one thing that Chihiro would want to change or did not like to talk about, it would be her appearance. Ever since Ayumi and Elsi joined her band, she had been grappling with an inner demon that told her that she would be upstaged by them when they performed.

But it was Keima's words that was reassuring, he never once complimented Chihiro about her looks yes, but he never did complain about them either and he seemed more picky about how exactly she played then what she looked like and that meant that treacherous inner self of hers was left forgotten till it resurfaced again.

This time it was telling and reminding Chihiro with more urgency than before with Haqua sharing the role of a 'lead' with her as Haqua was decidedly more attractive than her.

But Keima put that inner demon to rest very simply by telling her in a hushed voice as they waited for the other girls to come up with drafts of what they would be wearing.

'No matter what you wear, it must signify yourself. Although we agreed on a general design of clothes for you, it does not mean that you have no say in what you wish to wear. What I wish for you to do is to decide on your image and stick with it, Chihiro.'

..

Sitting with her one to one, Chihiro was surprised that she was not embarrassed but she guessed that Keima's serious voice helped to make her treat it seriously as well.

'Image?'

'What you wish to portray for yourself and the group. It is important that you decide now as you are the Leader and the Lead Singer of the Group. It is important that we have this discussion now as the wrong image will mean that you would have lost the battle.'

'Well... it's a little difficult for me to understand, Katsuragi... so how about you give me... some options.'

Scratching her head while clapping her hands together to show her apologizes, Keima nodded and did not seem offended. In fact he seemed pretty much relieved as he counted and listed out the different 'themes' that they could adopt.

'The more conservative types are the general: 'School Girl Band where you would play with your school uniform...'

'That's boring! Skip!'

'Tsk... we can go with the casual girl band route, nothing too flashy with your costumes being your normal outdoor wear.'

'Boring, SKIP!'

Ignoring the sigh that Keima gave as she was a little distracted with the sight of seeing Elsi and Ayumi pulling the arguing Haqua and Miyako apart, Chihiro knew that it would only be the deepening of bonds as the two girls were rolling on the floor in laughter after a brief comment by Elsi.

If they were not so close, they would not be able to joke with each other so easily and Chihiro surprised Keima by interrupting him out of the blue.

'Neh, Keima...'

It was the first time that she called him by his name too, albeit unwillingly but it was a sign of closer ties as she asked him if they could go out for a late tea-break later.

'You know, to welcome Haqua and we could get our photos taken too. We're a band now... I want to have many photos taken together.'

She smiled at Keima and he was a little taken aback at how pure and innocent, not to mention sincere Chihiro was once you peeled away the tomboyish nature that he had that he simply nodded dumbly back as a reply.

'You can take them with your camera too... I'm sure that all of you will make many important memories together.'

'With you.'

Chihiro surprised him again when she stated fiercely and it took a while before the **Capturing God** added wistfully and uncertainly to the girl in front of him.

'With me...'

'Mm! Now let's continue, what kind of styles can we project anyway?'

Nodding her head eagerly, Keima ticked off the remaining styles that they can be, as if baiting her appetite with more outrageous design ideas.

'Gothic Punk, black and white with radical hair styles.'

'EWWW! NO WAY! I don't like piercings!'

'You're being biased.'

'I don't care!'

..  
..

* * *

..

'Contemporary , similar to casual only with clothes more predominantly featured in your fashion magazines; the latest treads in town.'

He explained further when Chihiro was confused by his words and she dug out one particular magazine and pointed at a few of the Summer Fashion while Keima nodded his head.

'Okay, this might be cool. But it's not a good thing if we follow others. We have to be unique.'

Smiling cheerfully, Chihiro mentioned that Keima was being conservative, at least when they took out the Gothic and Gothic Punk out of the equation.

'We can't rebel against the system, can we?'

'Not if you wish to perform with Kanon. Does she ever over dress or under dress?'

Although Kanon is an idol, her squeaky clean image and lack of 'fanservice' was the key of her success and Chihiro acknowledged that with a nod.

'Can we let our hair down?'

'Nothing risque.'

He added quickly, so quickly that Chihiro poked him in the shoulder while teasing him.

'Are you thinking dirty? I know it's tempting to imagine Ayumi or Haqua in sexy clothes, revealing bareback or showing off some legs~ But I won't let that happen.'

'Who's thinking dirty now...? And Before?'

He countered and added on after Chihiro looked as if she was about to protest, face red once again from that implication that she was the one at fault.

'Rather, I'm concerned about all of you, as a whole... Even you.'

She was speechless as Keima crossed his hands and commented.

'It could be good for one's image with the opposite sex, but I do not wish to see anyone do that to be popular. If you would rather do that for a shortcut, be my guest, but you will continue on without me.'

He stated clearly and firmly and Chihiro nodded silently, seemingly even happier by his words.

'We won't, we're here to have fun and to achieve my selfish dream of playing for the masses. It's not really a good reason, but I won't take any shortcuts. It's not fun this way!'

She smiled and continued her discussion with Keima, discussing the pros and cons of what they wish to project.

Should they be rebellious and go for Harujuku fashion? Or play it super safe by wearing School uniforms? Could they go with something simple like matching Polo T-shirts with their band's name on it or just go all the way with the best fashion in town?

..

* * *

..

..

After coming to terms with the image, Keima was satisfied but it really wasn't over yet. There was something else that he had decided on upon careful observation of the team bonding by the girls.

It was emphasized even more when Haqua joined the group. A light music club, a band of 5 with one addition before a major performance; it was almost perfect and although the team dynamics and relationships weren't totally the same, it was close enough for him to take the gamble.

The girls would hate him for it, maybe, but he knew that they could not deny his observations as well as the striking similarities.

Lastly, although they spent the time together differently, probably due to his influence, he had no doubts that the bond that they shared were similar to the group that he was going to model them after.

Sharing the same dream, the same reasons for playing as well as an endless thirst to be acknowledged and to be together, Katsuragi Keima was certain that the songs the he picked for them would echo more strongly if they were the ones to sing it.

Besides, he knew that they would like them and he pushed the score as well as the lyrics to the girls after they settled down again.

'These are the songs that I am suggesting, no insisting that you girls play during the Audition. I hope you have no comments as it would be good if we start practicing some of them soon.'

They were on a totally different scale than the songs that they were used to playing and the vocal power needed for the songs he chose were much higher in difficulty. The girls of course were naturally hesitant but they were less so when they read the lyrics.

..  
..

'D-does such a song exist in the first place?'

'I... it's incredible... I'm alright with this! Let's do it, Elsi-chan!'

They were understandably excited but the two girls responsible for singing the songs were less so.

'I... I think I need to hear this out...'

Snapping his fingers, Keima blasted the song on some speakers that the girl did not know he had prepared and they spent several moments running through the songs that he picked.

When he was done however, he spoke out before they did to explain why he chose those songs.

'These songs... their lyrics and the emotions that they shout out to the world. I think they echo in you as much as they echo in me. They tell of dreams, of passion, friendship and the messages that the song writers as well as the person performing them, wish to tell the world.'

He paused briefly as he pulled out a particular song, its lyrics and read them out to them.

'I'm certain that you agree with them. It's your job now to... remind others who are the same that they too can live this dream.'

It took a while for it to sink in, but the same thought ran through their mind as they nodded to him. It was true, they agreed with what the lyrics were saying and it wouldn't be a stretch to say that it was an extension of their selves as they stood up and ran towards their instruments.

'We'll try our best.'

'And I expect nothing less of all of you.'

He muttered back as they went through the score several times slowly, taking time to get the feeling of the songs as Keima left to prepare refreshments for them.

'Hurry up, Katsuragi! We'll do one run when you come back, kay?'

They were ready now, to at least challenge the impossible and Keima nodded, wondering how long they would spend on their gathering today but that thought disappeared when he left the room, only to find another individual looking in on them.

'… who, are you?'

He asked suspiciously as he recognized the person. It was one of those boys that cornered him and the girls in what seemed to be a life time ago.

'You really are their manager, huh?'

He seemed embarrassed, which made Keima soften his tone as he nodded to him suspiciously. If he was correct, he was one of the competition, part of the boy band that Chihiro was telling the other girls about.

His name escaped him but he would be reminded of that as he introduced himself to him.

'I'm Kounagi Taka. About what happened before, I'm sorry the other guys took it out on you...'

Scratching his head, he looked genuine but Keima was suspicious nonetheless.

..  
..

Although it was true that he was not one of those guys that initiated the encounter and was one of the few who seemed upset and even helped break the group up, Keima knew from experience that no one would suddenly introduce themselves without an ulterior motive

And no matter how sincere the apology was, there was no reason for him to dig up the pass unless it has ties to what he was going to talk about.

'You seem to have the girls eating out of your hand. How do you do that anyway?'

He joked softly but his laughter stopped when Keima crossed his arms, signaling that he was losing patience with the boy in front of him and he cut to the chase, echoing a serious look on Keima's face.

'Listen, Katsuragi... I know that you view us as competitors and what not with the audition coming up... but all I wanted to say is that on behalf of them, we're sorry... that we did that to you. The guys, they thought that they were blackmailed by you...'

'And you saw fit in telling me this, why?'

He cut him off abruptly and he realized he was getting emotional, recently especially so when it comes to the girl and the other boy raised his hands up to show that he was unarmed and not dangerous at all.

'I just thought that it'll be good, if we have a jamming session together you know? For experience and to dispel the rumors that were going around... I know all of you are serious, but some of the girls... they aren't quite happy that you went all out with the publicity and all.'

He trailed off and Keima acknowledged the fact that what he was saying might be actually true. That band has its loyal following of girls and it would be difficult for them to gain a foothold with the school if they were not popular among the girls due to that conflict.

'… What is your motive? Although your words make sense... it would give them a chance to shake off the negative impression due to that encounter... it is not all that you after as there does not seem to be any benefits for you. What is it. That you are... after.'

He questioned him coldly while the boy seemed to freeze in front of him.

..

..

'Is it them? Are you after... them.'

His pressure was so overwhelming that he seemed to be another person altogether.

'Answer me. And answer me now.'

He could hear the girls starting on another practice through the doors and he would rather them not find out about this just yet.

..

..

* * *

**Author's Notes**: **I'm actually too... tired to actually add any witty comments. The next update will be slower as usual.  
**


	47. From the Other Side

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 47: From The Other Side **

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Many things happened. But hey, you got your manga updates right, guys? :D anyway, thanks to _Kaiser Dude_ and his beta-edit as always**

* * *

..

.

'Is it because of them?

His voice was icy cold and he, Kounagi Taka felt a chill ran down his spine at being confronted like that and he swallowed nervously. Although he did not approve of his band mate's attitude towards the Otamegane, he was the Otamegane after all; he'd imagine that he'll be someone easy to push over or to convince to take up his plan.

What made him hesitate was the sheer killing intent that he felt from him and the boy felt his lips go dry as he advanced a step towards him.

'Answer me, Kounagi Taka.'

His tone was dripping with venom and contempt, showing his dislike of him and to be honest, he was frankly terrified of him and was about to spill the beans when the door swung open.

'Katsuragi?'

It was one of the girls, the one by the name of Kosaka Chihiro and he was amazed to see how quickly the Otamegane's face returned to normal and he was grateful as the girl recognized him with a smile, a hesitant one yes, but a smile nonetheless as she greeted him.

..

'You're Kounagi-san desho? From the Singing Wizards?'

Clapping her hands in recognition, the girl seemed excited and strangely muted a second later when the Otamegane cleared his throat and he figured that she was doing so in respect of her manager.

'Katsuragi, this is Kounagi -san. I think you met each other before...'

Biting her lip, Kosaka seemed lost for words when the Otamegane sighed again and he nodded his head.

'He has something to ask of all of you. As a manager, I know that it is a good opportunity, despite the misgivings I have of the motive.'

The venom was not lacking in his statement and it made Taka squirm a little as Chihiro seemed puzzled and a little interested as well.

'Well, it doesn't hurt to listen to them, Katsuragi~ C'mon in, I think we can learn many things from you if you would teach us.'

'We'll need to learn from your PR team though; you girls are the talk of the town.'

He smiled a winning smile at Chihiro and was a little perturbed at how the girl was seemingly unaffected by his charms. In fact, she seemed a little amused and tickled at the attention on her and he had to marvel at her self-confidence for not being interested in his advances.

A normal girl like Kosaka cannot compare to a 'School Flower' like Takahara Ayumi after all... but perhaps he was wrong as that girl has her own charms after all.

..

The Singing Wizards were the band that was formed by a few of the 'Hottest Single Guys' in Mai High with Kounagi Taka and a few of his friends.

They have a huge fan base of loyal Mai-High school students as well as a regular gig going on in one of the clubs every weekend. In terms of popularity, they are a few of the top street bands in this quiet town and is a household name to those who frequent the nightspots in town.

* * *

..

..

'Oh wow, you're part of a real band! That's so cool!'

Clapping her hands together, Elsi smiled in greeting and while the other girls did perk up a little at his introduction, they seemed a little reserved.

Although it was a rarity, they felt a little put off that he was part of the boys that threatened Keima in that way. For Haqua it was a totally different thing that made her a little unimpressed with the boy.

The way he carried himself proudly was similar to Keima but she couldn't place a finger as to why she felt that he was vastly inferior and was way above his head.

There could be many factors and she could be biased but despite the small smile she had on her face, she greeted him, Haqua did not really welcome him in her heart.

More of politeness than anything else, the girl nodded in acknowledgment as he himself appraised the girl, and not for the first time, Haqua found herself wishing that she could use her raiment to spy on the boy's thoughts as he seemed strangely happy after checking out some of the girls.

If he really was interested in one of them, she'll have some very strong words for him before beating him into oblivion.

..

'I'm really sorry for what the other guys did...'

Bowing to them, the girls were a little surprised and they instinctively looked at Keima. The boy in question simply shrugged with a displeased expression on his face while gesturing for him to continue.

Although it did really did not seem any different to the unacquainted, the girls could differentiate the minute changes that showed his displeasure.

He doesn't really have a Poker Face per se, but it was close enough to one for others who did not know him.

'So we would like to make it up to all of you. Would you care to join us in a gig tomorrow at Sam's Diner? You would be our guest of honor to perform a couple of songs. It'll be good exposure for you girls too.'

The boy smiled and he was sorely disappointed when the girls did not seem very excited at the preposition. Yes, they were excited to some degree but it was a far cry from the excited squeals that he was expecting from the girls.

Perhaps he was used to being the center of attraction for too long as he seemed distinctively disturbed as the girls looked at Keima for direction as well as guidance to what to do.

..

For his part, Keima was both amused as well as worried at the display of loyalty and reliance on him and he considered the situation in his mind mentally.

It would certainly be good exposure and although he disliked this Kounagi Taka fellow, he had to accept that he painted the situation quite accurately. If they could not win the girls over, it would be difficult for them to make any headway into gaining the fans they need to prove to Kanon that the 2B pencils were indeed gems in the rough waiting for a chance to be polished.

To think that the girls would be jealous of the 2B Pencil's new -ound fame that rivaled their idols and would actually rally together against them.

Well as the saying goes, 'Beware a woman scorned' right?

Despite his misgivings and his reluctance in letting them go, a gut feeling was screaming at him to chase him out, Keima quashed those feelings as being too protective and he nodded his head slowly.

'It's good exposure for you girls, but if you are going to do anything...'

'We'll do our best for it, you can be sure of that Katsuragi!'

Pumping a fist into the air, Chihiro grinned while the other girls relaxed and nodded eagerly. They had faith that if Keima found it fine for them to try, the would do well. If Elsi was the mood changer, Keima could be described as the person who they draw their confidence from.

That particular point was made very clear to Kounagi Taka, who seemed blown away upon witnessing that and the boy changed his opinion of Katsuragi Keima almost instantly and he felt a little intimidated. Similar to that of a Level 15 Mage meeting a level 50 one and Taka looked at Keima with grudging respect.

Of course he did not miss the barb at the end of his sentence which was directed at him and he swallowed nervously while trying to continue.

'G-great! So did you want to meet the guys? They heard so much about all of you, well, I suppose with the Otame-'

Kounagi Taka sensed the killer intent flooding the room that was absent a second ago from the girls while Keima simply sighed and tried not to look TOO proud as he choked out Keima's name reluctantly.

'With all the good job done by Katsuragi-san, I'm not sure if anyone in town _does _not know who you girls are. He did a great job and we were wondering how he manage to add Haqua-san's biography into the website so quickly.'

The girl in mind blinked and she acknowledged that it was odd for him to know her name as she wasn't so famous in school yet.

..  
..

The girls immediately turned to Keima in surprise as they did not know they had a dedicated website for them. Sure, they knew they have a Twitter, a Youtube and Nicovideo Account but they id not expect them to have a website as well.

And a very good one at that as Chihiro found out when it was the first website listed on Google.

'…'

Slowly they turned to look at Keima and the **Capturing God** simply shrugged awkwardly as the girls sighed, unsure whether to be more amazed at how Keima had planned all of this from the start or how easily they accepted it as something usual and normal.

Habit is a dangerous thing after all...

'Never mind...'

They sighed as one and agreed to meet the Singing Wizards after a short practice and they politely allowed him to sit in to observe while Keima pulled out two new scores for them to practice.

'Ehh...? But why must we...'

..  
..

Gathering them together, Keima pulled out the report on the Singing Wizards from his dossier of competitors.

The Singing Wizards are known for being heavily into the Rock Genre and the two pieces of music that Keima had picked out for the rehearsal should not be revealed to them.

If anything, they should hold back a little to make them underestimate them. But Keima knew that they would be impressed no matter how they played. He had that much faith in them after all.

Thus, what is important would not be the level of skill that they are playing with; it would be the choice of songs that would determine the response from the crowd.

And by knowing what the Flying Wizards are specialized in gave them an edge over the opponents. All the information they had on the 2B Pencils were the videos and the short song that they performed the last time.

Their preferred genre of music was not decided yet and perhaps that was a good thing as it was more flexible.

That said, the song that Keima picked up for them consisted of one with a great increase in difficulty and the other that was more casual, suitable to contrast with the Singing Wizards.

..

'What are we going to wear tomorrow?'

A question that was quickly raised and Keima mentioned that they could use the clothes that he got for them the last shopping trip as it suited them quite well, not to mention that it would be conservative as well as acceptable with the night owls who frequent the night clubs, considering the many special industries that ply their trade at night.

But Keima was considering the extremes and he was caught flat footed when Haqua noted the pause in his words.

'You were thinking something dirty, weren't you?'

He flinched slightly but Haqua, after making her point, simply smirked and demanded that she too should receive a set of clothes from him.

'… but you'll need to procure new clothes for the actual Mai High Festival by yourself.'

He countered and the girls simply nodded while grinning, knowing that it means another shopping trip and Keima actually face-palmed as he realized he just got suckered into it.

'… Carry your own bags.'

He made a final protest but was resigned to two more shopping trips with the 2B Pencils, his shoulders sagging slightly before he rallied and pushed the scores to the girls.

'Practice and then we'll head out to meet them.'

'Haii~~'

* * *

..

..

Kounagi Taka was impressed but he was not going to show it as the girls sounded so much better in person as compared to the clip that was uploaded onto the Youtube Stream.

Perhaps it was just his imagination but he found them to be more mesmerizing when playing. The simple fact was that they played better as a group hands down as they covered each of their flaws and he noticed how Keima gave out short but precise adjustments and the girls adjusted their positions or how they hold their instruments to match his suggestions.

It was usually for the better and it was uncanny how he knew how to present those girls in the best light and Taka admitted that they were perhaps their biggest rivals so far.

And here he was, giving them the chance to prove their critics wrong... he'll have to take it in their stride and he sent a few quick messages to the other band members to prepare and to be on their best.

They could not afford to look shabby in front of a formidable rival like this.

..

* * *

..

_'Ah, this is so cool.'_

_Meeting the Singing Wizards at their own little studio near the school, Chihiro was impressed and so were the other girls as they placed their instruments beside them while surveying the studio._

_They had only been to a few studios before this, the girls weren't rich and recording at the studio was a luxury. Thus, they were very happy at being able to practice at a real studio with advice from the more experienced counterparts._

_'Ah, you've arrived! Nice to meet all of you. You're... Katsuragi and you're Kosaka, aren't you? I'm Kabuto Asachi, the Founder and the Manager of the Singing Wizards. We've heard many things about you... and yeah, we're sorry about what some of those punks did that day.'_

_Kabuto Asachi forced the other members of the band to bow and apologize to Katsuragi unhappily before releasing them to mingle with the rest of the girls as he invited the two of them to a sit by the side._

_To his credit, Asachi wasn't one of the guys present at the incident and that wasn't a surprise as he was a few years older than them and not studying in Mai-High any longer._

_Recognizing that fact, Keima nodded and shook his hands while pulling a chair for Chihiro to sit. The girl looked a little torn, seeing how some of the boys were hitting on Ayumi and Elsi, but she controlled herself before sitting with Keima to listen with the manager._

..  
..

_'I was blown away when I saw your masterpiece, Katsuragi. To think that someone could dare to pull of such a daring publicity stunt from nowhere. Not many people can do that and certainly not a high school boy. _

_That's what they said but hey, stranger things have happened. You got yourself a good manager here, Kosaka. Even if he is silent, that's normal to protect the secrets of the 2B Pencils eh? I thought I've seen it all when I saw Nakagawa Kanon go to the top in a few months... but this, takes the cake.'_

_He was a kindly soul, used to cracking small jokes and sharing his experiences with those who cared to listen to him._

_Although he was young compared to many of the other managers who are in charge of the different celebrities in Japan, the fact that he had managed to keep the Flying Wizards at the top of their game in their town after a few weeks with them was testament to his skills as a manager._

_So he could be considered to be a professional and he was quite taken by Keima, the latter choosing his usual route and being the 'Silent Protagonist' while Chihiro asked him about why he would allow the 2B Pencils to share a stage with them._

.. 

_'It wasn't my idea, Taka-kun suggested that. But I agree with his reasoning... that kid has the talent to be a manager too if he just would be serious.'_

_Grinning, Asachi stretched a little as he explained to Keima and Chihiro._

_'It always gets nasty during competitions, we take part in a few of them and... well, although we win some and lose some, the problems keep coming. The fans want their idols to win and of course, the Flying Wizards have their own fan-club and everything... It's just that, those girls are nuts.'_

_Not even bothering to be discreet, Adachi grinned when Keima snorted dismissively as if that was the understatement of the year._

_'Yes, we know some girls get a little excited when seeing their idols in the flesh. Some of them are hysterical, some pass out and some propose marriage... but I guess this band is special. The fans are aggressive.'_

_Crossing his arms as leaned closer to Keima, he raised one finger as he made his point._

_'They're obsessed with them... and I've seen one of them jump at a waitress who spilled some juice on one of the boy's shirt... if they think that you're insulting them, they will make you pay.'_

_He shuddered while Chihiro looked a little pale. Keima of course just sighed and asked a few questions of his own._

..

.. 

_'Why? Well... even if we wanted to cover up what happened between the two of you...'_

_He scratched his head in an embarrassed fashion and Keima sighed. So it was really due to the incident that those girls started to develop the dislike for the 2B Pencils._

_'Yes, we know we provoked the incident, hence we're making amends... you know boys, some of them do get a little... feisty and frustrated.'_

_He ended lamely while Keima sighed again and shook his head._

_'… So, this is to make amends? But how?'_

_He did not mind being the target of petty hate and dislike, it was usual for him but he did not wish to drag the 2B Pencils down due to something stupid that he did._

_'As our special guest, that means the two of us made peace right? Don't worry, we'll make sure Taka lay it on thick that the two bands are close friends. They seemed to have taken a liking to the girls too, but hey, who wouldn't be?'_

_He grinned while pointing to behind them and it was true, to a certain extent._

_All of the girls were interacting and chatting happily with the respective counterparts._

_For some reason, Keima looked a little sick at that._

..

* * *

_**Author's Notes: This is a side story, but it's important in a way. We get to see them perform earlier! :D Updates will come sooner this time, studies and all for the beta-editing crew**  
_


	48. Of Deep Hidden Feelings

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 48: Of Deep Hidden Feelings**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: And a Happy New Year to all of you. I'll be in your care in 2012! So, give me a few reviews here and there please! At least tell me if I'm keeping with my earlier standards. Again, Thank you to _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta-edit as always!  
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..

It was true that almost all of the girls were flattered by the attention the boys lavished on them, one could imagine that it was the first time that they saw a girl after ages but everyone knew that it wasn't true.

Or perhaps it was the first time that the boys met girls who actually were interesting and could hold their interest?

Either way, all of them were tickled pink at how they seemingly were able to capture all of the boy's attention, especially Chihiro and Miyako, two girls who were rarely in the center of attention.

The sole exception was of course Haqua, who was less flattered as more uncomfortable as she awkwardly answered the questions fielded by her counterpart, another drummer.

They had introduced themselves friendly and easily enough but Haqua couldn't help but feel a little foreign to them. They seemed so different, so mundane and therefore boring that Haqua could not help but feel a little foreign to them. Of course she has interacted with people of the opposite gender before, but all that took place while she was able to maintain the mask that hid her true self and well, they couldn't be compared to Keima at all.

Sure, he was arrogant, rude and overbearing in his eccentricity but that made him stand out more.

..

'Uh huh... so you should try holding it this way. See, it makes it easier for you to hang on to it when you strike on it a little too hard. It gives you a better grip and it's more natural, at least I feel that way?'

Demonstrating to her, Haqua knew that he was not demeaning her or her gender or anything but she was really awkward at how he was hitting on her, commenting on how quickly she grasped the concepts, how she was a great student and other lame reasons while asking her to hang out with him sometime, just to 'practice'.

Intruding on her personal space was a tad too much for her and she squirmed away uncomfortably when he insisted in showing her how to look better as a drummer as he insisted in showing her exactly how to sit and guiding her hands with his to show her how he did it.

Of course, he took the liberty to caress her hands while resting one arm on her waist and it took Haqua a lot of effort to resist the urge to pummel him into pulp.

Can't he like, take it slowly?

Haqua decided that most, if not all guys were perverts and she excused herself in a huff, leaving the boy a little confused at what he had done wrong. He was too used to being highly popular that he was lacking a little common sense...

'Thank you so much for your advice.'

Although she did pick up a few pointers and tips, it was not really worth the time that she had to endure his advances.

Even so, Haqua felt a little bad as he did look quite pathetic at being dumped liked that and she went forward to shake his hand while looking away.

'I did learn a lot and well... I'll try to forget this... we can still be friends though.'

It was a major step forward for her, ordinarily she wouldn't have given scum like him a second chance, but hey when compared to her first impression of Keima, this guy was at the very least polite.

In contrast, Keima was at least considerate but Haqua kept an open mind nonetheless. There are trash like this guy around but she has seen the kindness, thoughtfulness and gentle side of humans as well.

So there could be guys that would be sincere and kind too.

Probably...

..  
..

It was the same for the other girls as well, although one can say that Haqua had picked the short straw as the boys kept their hands to themselves, sharing their knowledge and advice after they introduced themselves.

They apologized for what they did earlier to Keima and the girls and offered to give them tips on what they should expect as well as to work on their forms with them.

A few of them were very nice chaps, offering their experiences and telling them about how being on stage felt like.

It was perhaps due to the fact that they did not get the chance to mingle with others who have the same hobby they did and the girls who were with them enjoyed it very much.

Those girls were namely Miyako and Elsi and the two girls found themselves being drawn to them as well. They shared the same ideals and wishes and it was easy speaking with them on why they wanted to play, how they practiced as well as asking each other about what they liked to hear and what they wish to expect from the people who listen to them play.

..

The boys helped the two girls with their instruments, playing once for the two of them to observe with the same basic score that Keima had provided them and they helped the two girls by telling them what they did right and what they did wrong just like how Keima did.

Their first impression of them was that they might not really have the talent, but they do have the spirit and they were more than happy to help give them a chance to play with them.

They were not as pompous or as detailed as Keima but they meant well and they were both gracious as well as patient with them. Two traits that the girls found to be remarkably charming and they blushed a little when the boys praised them for what they have achieved.

..

For the other two girls, Chihiro and Ayumi, the former having excused herself to speak with the lead singer, Taka himself and she found herself a little overwhelmed by his charm and his words.

There was no mistaking who was the one who has all the fans after listening to him sing. Although the band functioned only together as a unit, Kounagi Taka's voice was the beacon of light that illuminated his hand.

Although it was nowhere near Kanon's voice it was still way out of Chihiro's league and the girl felt a little embarrassed at him giving her any time at all, whispering to her about the tricks of her trade.

It was all about the right technique as well as the right emphasis on the right words. Not to mention a splash and dash of 'stage presence', the right actions and gestures to help get the crowd to a high.

All of that could only be done through experience and Taka reminded Chihiro that it was no good simply copying him but more of developing one's own technique to get the people to listen to you.

.. 

_'What is important is to grab their attention, to ensure that they listen to you in the first place. Once they do, it's show time!'_

He exaggerated the word 'show time' and it made Chihiro giggle a bit at his antics... She couldn't help it and she admitted that he was a born show man and she wasn't.

'You need to be yourself.'

Keima quipped while walking past the two of them and Chihiro smiled encouragingly as well. It was just like what Taka said; she had to find her own way to get the crowd in their side.

Whether it is by her alone or as a team effort, it's really up to her to discover how she will connect with the audience and she was glad that the boys gave them the chance to play with them and to learn from them and she asked more questions while Keima looked on at the side, speaking with the manager as well.

..

* * *

..

For Ayumi, she was enjoying herself as well as she hit it off with her counterpart relatively easily as well, until he started hitting on her that is.

It was to be expected as Ayumi was one of the 'school flowers' and she has quite a fan club. Apparently he, Takehara was one of them too and despite all his advice and tips, he was waaay more straight-forward with his advances than Haqua's partner.

When the two of them were sort of alone, going to one corner to tune their instruments, he never seemed to be able to keep his hands to himself.

Despite Ayumi pushing his hands away or squirming out of his grasp, he continued to try and hold her hand or to rest them over her shoulders.

There was worse to come as he got bolder when Ayumi did not immediately protest against his advances and he took it as she was playing hard to get.

That was when Ayumi noticed that he was more interested in 'her' in the literal sense than anything else when he started stroking her thigh.

That was when someone had to intervene and Ayumi bit back some tears of embarrassment as she did not wish to cause a scene and risk this major 'coup' for the band.

It was another sign that Ayumi and the girls had really bonded together as she would literally be willing to sacrifice herself for the benefit of the whole group.

.. 

But Keima was having none of that and he interfered by placing a firm hand on Ayumi's shoulders and leading her away, despite the spluttering and angry looks that the guitarist was shooting at him.

The other girls however did catch on and they rushed forward to welcome Ayumi, who was feeling a little violated as Chihiro hugged the energetic girl and gave her the privacy that she needed now as Keima spoke for all of them.

'I guess we're done for today... I've gotten the details from Adachi-san on where and when to meet on Wednesday. We'll be on our best behavior as we're your guests.'

He smiled confidently while leaving his trademark bored expression for the boy who had made such uncouth attempts to hit on Ayumi.

'We'll see all of you then. Oh yes, Adachi-san, if you'll be willing to spare a few minutes for our rehearsal tomorrow... Of course, Kounagi-san is invited as well.'

He took his leave quickly and silently, ushering the girls out while the Singing Wizards made no clear attempt to stop them. One of them did go a little overboard after all and almost all of them looked unhappily at the guitarist.

'AT IT AGAIN!'

* * *

..

The girls heard the boys scream even from the corridor but they didn't really care about it now. Not when Ayumi was shaking and traumatized by the incident. It was something trivial this time but it was all the more shocking for her and the 2B Pencils as it happened just like that.

It will take just a single black sheep to make the whole flock of them look bad and this was a hard and harsh lesson for all of them.

Keima for the most part remained silent, but he did reach out to squeeze Ayumi's shoulder reassuringly, causing the girl to sob a little lesser. He hoped that this incident, as bad and random as it is, would not discourage the girl or any one of them to lose confidence or faith in their performance.

'Ayumi-chan...'

It was Elsi who broke the silence and she hugged Ayumi abruptly, petting her on the shoulder reassuringly while saying comforting words to her. It was odd to see that, as one would have imagined that Ayumi would be used to interacting with boys as she was quite a popular girl in class.

But this was different and it made Ayumi feel like she was dirty. She wanted to do nothing more than to take a bath right now, scrubbing hard at where he touched her to remove those memories.

She was used to guys hitting on her, confessing to her and to a certain extent, flirting with her on occasion.

But this was the first time that she had been subjected to... being viewed as an object, for her... body and it made her afraid.

With fame came many things, popularity, status, more influence but in the flip side of things, there were many dangerous things that might result from their increased fame.

Not only would they need to contend with jealousy, differential treatment and competition, they would run the risk of being seen in ways that they did not wish to be seen.

Ayumi regretted what she had said before: _'__**Basically we just have to look neat and look sexy at the same time, no?' **_as it had come back to bite her and her only. She did not wish to make a fuss... she knew that the others, most of them at least had learned quite a bit from their interaction with the Singing Wizards

She had said it half-jokingly but if that guy was not in the minority group, what would the others see her and her friends as if they really dressed up in more... provocative clothes?

.. 

The 2B Pencils were exposed to the positives and the negative sides of being in the limelight and being famous in little more than a day.

Would they be able to rally themselves up again?

* * *

..

..

Leading the girls back to their clubhouse, Keima closed the door securely behind him after the girls entered and he turned to confront the few individuals that were hovering at the end of the corridor, the same person who had tried to do such despicable and lowly things to Ayumi.

'….'

He looked at Keima and the **Capturing God** looked back at him in a way that made it clear that he had no respect for such an individual. Who would have respect for someone like this, really? Someone who had to stoop so low and who had no respect for another individual in this world. It was probably the worst thing that one can do and Keima was ashamed to admit that he was a member of the same race as him.

Of course he had no interest in knowing who he was or what his name is and Keima immediately classified and named him to be: 'Random Stranger A' and as he peeked into the door to check on the girls, he turned back to see him walking towards him unsteadily.

He meant that literally as he was stumbling due to a few bruises on his legs, a few of his fellow band members must have taken justice into their own hands to try and solve the problem.

Well, it won't exactly solve the problem, but it will make things that much easier to smooth over, that's for sure... Keima knew for a fact that Ayumi would probably be suffering from some kind of mild paranoia to boys after the incident, particularly to the boy in front of him now and it would be next to impossible for her to be on the same stage as the boy, not even mentioning how she was going to perform to a crowd in this fragile mental state.

Yes, perhaps Keima was over reacting to the situation but the saying goes: 'Better to be safe than sorry' and Keima definitely would not want to be sorry. He had been playing it safe for so long, there was no reason for him to gamble everything away before the audition.

.. 

'What is it?'

Speaking to him politely with a very controlled tone, Keima kept his emotions in check as the boy apologized to him and asked if he could apologize to Ayumi.

'Do you think that she would even want to see you at all? Save yourself the trouble... and besides we do not welcome you here, please leave now.'

Barring his way to the room, Keima raised a hand before he could speak and he spoke quietly to him while explaining to him his options.

'There are only three options left for you. One is to quit the band and leave, never to come near us again and we would not bring this incident up. The second is to just avoid us till the end of the Audition next week... and perhaps till the Mai-High Festival is over, I'm sure one can arrange for a long term of absence. If not, I can arrange for that myself.'

Cracking his knuckles, Keima watched in satisfaction as the boy paled and he asked what the third option is.

'To just forget about this incident and treat it as it did not happen.'

'Aren't all those the same?'

The boy whined and Keima nodded while leaning closer, radiating a literal killing aura as he explained the differences between the choices.

'Choice one would allow you to stay in school while leaving the band. Choice two allows you to stay in the band while leaving the school, at least for a while. Choice three gives you both... but, you run other, more substantial risks by doing so.'

He smiled in satisfaction as the boy nodded and just backed away.

'I-I got it...j-just... just... this never happened! A-and...'

Random Stranger A bowed to Katsuragi once before scampering away, thanking him for letting him go free this time, causing the **Capturing God** to sigh as he wondered if he made the right choice.

Option 4 would be to remove his existence entirely... probably achievable with Haqua... and he was sure that the devil herself would approve of that...

He however, was adverse to doing that and so he had to give it the opportunity a miss and let him live for now... tempting as it might be to hurt someone who had hurt someone dear to him.

Wait... dear?

Keima's inner monologue was interrupted by Chihiro, who pulled him into the room to demand some answers.

..

..

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**Author's Notes: If anything, this is a hard chapter to write. Very hard for me personally.  
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	49. Mental Pains

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 49: Mental Pains**

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**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: I try to not think about why there is a lack of reviews lately, it's really discouraging... I-I'm still producing okay work... right? Yeah, I know I'm a little draggy.. b-but...**

**Anyway, thank you _Kaiser Dude_ for the Beta-review as always! Thank my illness for this faster update though!  
**

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..

..

'I'll have a word with them.'

Keima promised Chihiro as the girl looked like she was about to murder the boy who had made those advances towards Ayumi and he could not blame her, he wanted a piece of him as well for what he has done to the 2B Pencils in general.

Life in showbiz was not glamorous as with everything that was basking in the sun or the light, there would be the shadow that accompanied it. As with light and darkness, one will always be with the other and never would they be apart.

No matter how strong the light or how dark was the accompanying shadow, the other side would never truly be extinguished.

Just as with every success story, there are multiple other failures everywhere you look.

That was the harsh reality as reality is and will forever be unforgiving and relentless.

Keima had done his best to protect and shelter the 2B Pencils from being exposed to the darker side of showbiz and had taken many measures to ensure that their image was squeaky clean similar to Kanon.

One of the key reasons for Kanon's continuous success and popularity was that she was a conservative girl, never one to attempt more 'risky' or 'risqué' materials despite being labelled as too 'cute' and 'adorable' for her own good.

Perhaps the critics were right to comment and state that Nakagawa Kanon was too 'sweet', everything about her was simply portraying and selling her as the perfect 'girl', the poster child for the perfect child.

But it was exactly that image that made her the idol that she is today.

..

Keima knew that image was something that her manager had fought hard to protect and preserve and as he did know Kanon personally, he knew that her success could be partially contributed to Kanon being a naturally sweet girl as well. Too innocent and nice for her own good and Keima reckoned that Kanon had remarkable luck as well to be able to make it thus far.

With her nature, it was natural for Kanon to be just a supporting member in the idol trio Citron, where Kanon debuted from and she seemed unnaturally tense when she did took center stage in Citron after half a year together.

It was probably not Kanon's decision to leave Citron or to have the group disbanded; it was probably Kanon's current manager who had a hand in It.

In many ways, Kanon's manager was a shrewd individual as well as a master in marketing as she managed to push and lead Kanon all the way to be the Top Idol. Keima applauded her marketing skills and it was from those steps did Keima model his master plan for the 2B Pencils.

Yes, of course he did model most of the ideas from the games he played, but the original concept and inspiration did stem from Kanon's meteoric rise to the top as it was itself a miracle.

But it seemed that the 2B Pencil's and his luck has run out and they were facing a major identity crisis.

..

..

Chihiro was furious about what had happened to Ayumi but Keima knew that the girl was blaming herself as well for agreeing to meet them in first place and Keima knew that no matter what he did she will continue to berate herself until Ayumi finds some closure in this.

Elsi was just concerned for her friend and her nature was built in a way that the implied consequences did not mean anything to her. It's a double edged swords as although it was good that she did not hesitate in trying to be empathetic to comfort the girl, she really didn't know what Ayumi really felt nor did she realize the full weight of the situation.

Miyako was quiet and thoughtful, the only member who had not said a single thing so far but Keima could see hints that she was regretful that she could not do anything. He could almost see the gears and wheels in that girl's head turning, trying to search for a way to protect her friends.

Haqua was furious as well, but her anger was kept in check largely by Chihiro's anger, which was quite a surprise to the **Capturing God** as it shows that Haqua was beginning to be concerned about the 2B Pencils as an extension of herself. That was definitely a good thing but Keima hoped that she was not plotting something behind his back and Keima reached out to pull Haqua to the side to have a few words with her as Chihiro went back to stay by Ayumi's side as they headed back to their 'clubroom' quietly.

..

'What is it Keima? I won't let that creep get away no matter what you say.'

'Keep your temper in check and listen to me, Haqua. This is not a negotiation; this is an order from me.'

'…. How could you expect me to do that? You saw what he tried to do to her? How he treated her? Do you want it in high definition? I can show it to you a thousand times so you-'

Keima cut her off by mentioning offhand that he would prefer not to hit any woman in his entire life but in the same tone he mentioned that for a moment there, he wanted to break that rule.

'Do you think that Ayumi would want to be reminded of what happened earlier? I believe that what she need now is to have the memory of that incident buried deep down till she is ready mentally to confront that fear. You are not helping if you plan to go and confront him by yourself... Do not tarnish yours, Ayumi's and everyone's reputations by doing that, Haqua.'

He sighed as Haqua stopped with her shoulders dropping as she seemed exhausted. Being angry makes one hungry too and she looked down, stopping for a while as the others continued on without the two of them.

'Then what can we do? Ayumi's hurt, you saw that! It... It is something that shouldn't happen, not under my watch but I...'

Haqua shook her head while Keima commented that the 2B Pencils must have really made an impact on Haqua for her to behave in that way.

'After all, you only agreed to my preposition so that you could have an eye on Elsi... and me.'

Keima smiled thinly and Haqua slowly nodded her head. There was no use pretending that was not the case if Keima found out after all and the boy nodded as well.

'But now you are looking over the entire 2B Pencils as a whole, am I right? That is good. I will be depending on you to look after all of them as well...'

His tone sounded like it was a decision that he made after a long time and Haqua took note by turning to him and tapping her foot impatiently.

'Why are you telling that to me? You're the manager; you're supposed to be looking after the group too right? What are you going to do to help Ayumi-chan?'

'It's best to let sleeping dogs lie. I'll speak to them about him but there is really nothing I can do. My hands are tied... On one hand I wish to punish him but if in anger he lashes out against us, that would not be good for her and for us in extension. Right now, I believe Ayumi is protecting all of you as well for she could have stopped him earlier... I am... regretful that I was a step late as I was held back...'

It wasn't every day that Katsuragi Keima admitted that he was in the wrong and Haqua's anger faded as quickly as it had grown and she nodded in understanding. She was angry at herself for being in a conversation with the drummer then too... if she had just seen it sooner... but what matters was that Keima managed to stop him before it escalated. If he hadn't, they would have to cover up a murder instead.

..

'But she needs all of your support to play again. That is what I feel and from my experience, she would need all the help and support she can get to be able to play again. Right now she would associate playing her guitar to what had happened to her... it would not only be bad for her but for all of us...

It is unfortunate, but perhaps it is a blessing in disguise... imagine if it happened during the actual performance on Wednesday night?'

Keima narrowed his eyes and finished quickly to avoid the outburst from the demon girl and she nodded as well, although clearly unhappy about it.

'But that doesn't mean why I should be looking after all of them for you, Keima... I don't like to say this... but they depend on you... You're hinting that... you'll be going away...'

Her face was red, which was unusually opaque of Haqua as she did not flinch or look away as Keima looked back at her evenly. The other girls were nowhere to be seen, probably too occupied in their own thoughts to be concerned about the two of them.

This spoke volumes of how much they were out of it and Keima sighed as he spoke softly again.

'I don't know... Although I would rather not, there might be things that prove to be out of my control... It is a safety measure more than anything else and furthermore, I know I can entrust this role to you because I have faith in you.'

Keima placed on hand on Haqua's shoulder before walking to catch up with the other girls as Haqua just stood there for a moment.

It sounded so much like a love confession that Haqua's heart was pounding but it wasn't, it couldn't be... but it was close, very close to one as he said that he trusted her. Katsuragi Keima actually said that to her and Haqua felt like her heart would explode... only she couldn't allow it to.

She could not allow that as she had decided that she would give him up, the one that should have been on the receiving end of that line should be Elsi. Elsi had been the one supporting him up till now and she believed he had not said that to her even once.

Haqua sighed as she steeled herself, promising to herself to never mention what happened then to Elsi as she ran to catch up with all of them.

* * *

..

..

'…'

The atmosphere was so thick that one could cut it with a knife but Keima did not care about that, not when he knew that his immediate goal was to get that incident out of the girl's mind.

All of them were crowded around Ayumi, who was still looking like a wreck, a soulless person that managed only to nod a few times as she looked down. It was most likely that she was still replaying what had happened in her mind but Keima did not considered how devastating that incident was to her.

He'll have to do a more detailed risk assessment report soon if he was to salvage the situation.

'That'll be all for today... and as we agreed... Let's go out together, as a group for Haqua's welcoming party.'

He reminded all of them and although all of them seemed happy to do that before it was not the right time for that today. Even so, he has to insist as he sighed when all of them did not even respond to his announcement.

'… It is understandable to be upset... Can I have a word with you, Ayumi and please, this is a private conversation...'

Looking at the other girls, some looking surprised, some looking relieved and a few happy at his decision, Keima led Ayumi to one corner and told the other girls to leave the room for a few minutes.

'Hai hai~~'

All of them obliged and the two of them were alone as Keima pulled up a chair for Ayumi to sit down before walking away to another corner of the room.

..

Ayumi did not know what to make of the situation as she had been out of it ever since Keima rescued her. In one hand she was glad to be rescued, embarrassed and happy even for him to take on the role of the knight in shining armour to save her from that repulsive and thoughtless individual... but even if it the reward was a love confession from Keima, Ayumi wasn't sure if she would want to experience that again.

The way his hands just glided over hers, how he enjoyed looking down at her like she was just... meat, like she was just for show and what's worse... how he placed his hands firmly on her hip and even gave her behind a little squeeze was terrible.

Ayumi wanted to cry but she willed herself to be strong to not affect the other girls... they wouldn't want this to happen to her, but she couldn't let the others know that she was weak... perhaps the others have experienced the same thing and... and just ignored it till it went away.

Ayumi didn't know, she had not experienced something like this before and she should NOT have in the first place.

There was nothing for her to do as she knew nothing, did not know how to comfort herself, did not know that it was wrong did not know who to turn to... oh, wait she did but the boy... the boy had ignored her!

'Here.'

Ayumi turned abruptly at hearing his voice gain and she almost made him drop the cup of steaming hot tea that Keima was offering to her.

'My mother did always say that when one is upset, tea would help. Here Ayumi, drink this and we will talk after you calmed down.'

Pulling another chair to sit in front of her, Keima sipped his own cup of tea while Ayumi did the same, surprised at how the hot liquid warmed her body significantly and as the warmth passed through her body she felt more relaxed.

Tension flowed away from her body slightly and her shoulders relaxed and she even managed a small smile as she told Keima that the tea was good.

'Thank you... have you calmed down now, Ayumi?'

Still calling her by her name, Ayumi nodded to the boy and from the frown he did not think so and he stood up before walking behind her.

..

'… I am going to place my hands on your shoulders, Ayumi... relax... I'm not going to do anything to you.'

Taking care not to startle the girl as he placed his hands on her shoulder, Keima noted that Ayumi did tense up considerably, her shoulders raising slightly and tightening up as Keima coaxed Ayumi to drink her tea.

It was more than likely to be a psychological effect that was plaguing Ayumi as she would have likely associated his touch with what had happened earlier.

Touch can be a healing factor as well after all but in this case it would only bring about negative reactions if Ayumi was touched by a boy, even if it was him.

She had not displayed any hostility and she had calmed down considerably after Elsi's hug and that was natural as touch was theorized as to be therapeutic but naturally there are sceptics and one of them was Keima, who knew that it was more likely a placebo effect together with the release of hormones and chemicals that causes the human body to feel more relaxed and 'cured' in the process.

Whatever the case, Keima wanted to reduce the anxiety she felt and remove the association that all men were bad. In the worst-case scenario it could be possibly for Ayumi to shun males in general and that would be counter-productive if she was to perform on stage.

It was not to prevent her from hating or shunning him of course but naturally Ayumi showed no signs of that as although she tensed up initially, when Keima started to massage her shoulders she loosened up considerably as Keima reminded her softly to take deep breaths.

'Do not think about what happened then... try not to think of anything at all but to concentrate on drinking your tea...'

He continued to massage her shoulders in complete silence before returning to sit in front of her again.

..

..

'Thank you, Keima-kun...'

Ayumi seemed very embarrassed but she still relayed her thanks to Keima as the **Capturing God** simply looked back evenly at her.

'Don't mention it; it was my fault that happened... Ayumi. Right now I'm at a loss to what to do... but there are still alternatives and options left for me... but before all of that, I wish to tell you that you should not have allowed that to happen. Self-sacrifice is not a good trait to have in excess.'

Keima spoke out sharply to Ayumi and to his relief Ayumi did not seem mad at him, instead she seemed caught off guard, her mouth opening to defend herself when Keima cut her off abruptly again.

'Yes, self-sacrifice might be a very noble thing and a trait that could at times be one to be applauded. However, your actions are not one of them. Now, I am not saying that you are in the wrong...'

Keima's tone softened considerably when he saw tears in Ayumi's eyes and he reached out to place a hand on her shoulder before whispering.

'It is alright to cry, Ayumi... there is no need to be strong or to act strong... in times like this, it is alright to cry. So... go ahead, let your tears out.'

He closed his eyes as well to save Ayumi the embarrassment but he needn't have bother as Ayumi reached out to hug him tightly instead, clinging on to him as her hands wrapped around his shoulders and squeezed him tightly as if he was the only thing that was separating him from her bad memories.

Knowing the context of the situation helped him and he pushed back other, irrelevant thoughts as he awkwardly patted the girl's shoulders. Although he was the one to told her to cry, this might be longer than the few minutes he required and as summoned by Murphy's Law, the other girls choose this moment to open the door to stare at the two of them.

..

'!'

Chihiro's mouth dropped, Miyako simply looked amused while Elsi and Haqua just stood there stunned, the latter forming her scythe out behind her as Keima narrowed his eyes and made quick gestures telling them to get out now.

He was not taking advantage of Ayumi's emotional state, well perhaps Ayumi was taking advantage of HER emotional state to hug him but at the least he did not need their presence her now as it would only make it more awkward for her to say what she truly felt.

Keima made even more frantic gestures behind Ayumi's back as the girl's sobbing started to ebb and they took the hint, thankfully to close the door as Takahara Ayumi looked up and asked Keima in a small voice.

'T-then tell me... what am I supposed to do then?'

'Protect yourself. That is what you should have done... more than anything else, you should be concerned for yourself... I am glad that you considered your friends, but I am upset that you did not protect yourself as well.'

Sighing, Keima sat Ayumi back on her seat before starting to speak again, ready to tell her what she should have done and what he felt from the whole incident.

..

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**Author's Notes: Yeah, I'm sorry for the cliff hanger.**


	50. The Second Confession

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 50: The Second Confession**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's notes: Thank you, Kaiser dude for the beta-edit as always! I'm losing my drive a little due to work... But, happy chinese new year everyone!**

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Takahara Ayumi was unsure what she should do or feel at the situation right now as she looked at Katsuragi Keima in the eye in front of her. For one she was glad and happy that Keima was being so supportive and concerned for her to be speaking to her in private, almost demanding for the right to do so as well as he had voiced out that fact to the other girls.

It had made her embarrassed that he was angry at her for her well-being but indignant at how he did not do anything at all till it was too late.

Well, not totally too late... but the damage was done.

Yes, he was the one who made sure that it did not get any worse as well but in hindsight he was also partly responsible for this incident happening in the first place.

He was the one who said that it'll be okay to spend some time with the other boys, to learn something from them... so he should have made sure that it would be... safe if they were with them.

Yes, Ayumi learned something from that, but she would rather not have wanted to experience it first-hand in that way and it made her shiver again at how quickly her thoughts went back to that incident again.

It was supposed to be safe, they were with school mates of the same age, and they wouldn't have hurt them or... wanted to do something to them, right?

Apparently not... men were beasts and pigs!

Her mood and emotional state was stuck in a vicious cycle, repeating itself in an endless loop of shock, denial and finally reluctant acceptance before starting the cycle all over again, as if she was convincing herself that nothing really happened.

She tried to tell herself that it was all over and done with, that she was not taken advantage of and that she was safe now, with her friends and with Keima who will protect her.

Ayumi wanted Keima to reassure her, to tell her that everything was going to be alright and she lowered her eyes timidly as he spoke again to the nervous girl in front of her.

..

'I would... want you to be safe, if you simply stop resisting it would only result in harm for you as well as everyone else. Ayumi... self-sacrifice might be noble, but there are limits to what you should... allow.'

Keima stopped suddenly as he realized what he was saying was wrong and would harm Ayumi more and he shook his head, correcting himself.

'No, there should not be any negotiations at all if you feel uncomfortable with anything, anything at all.'

Changing and hardening his stance upon seeing the traces of tears in Ayumi's eyes, Keima did an about turn to salvage what was remaining of Ayumi's pride.

'You should learn how to say 'no' and to refuse them if they are making you feel uncomfortable with their actions.'

'B-but he might have complained to his manager a-and then we... we... we we couldn't have been... a-able to-'

Keima cut her off before she could try and justify her actions and that was crucial as if he was to allow her to believe that what she was doing was right, there was no going back for her.

She might even think that it was expected of all of to give something precious to earn success in any field, which was what Keima was trying to avoid and to protect the girls from believing.

'DO NOT BE SILLY!'

Raising his voice for the first time to any of the girls, Keima was seething as he grabbed Ayumi roughly on her shoulders, ignoring the wince and cry of pain from the girl as she struggled a little, obviously upset and afraid of a man's touch as Keima held her firmly, making her look solely into his eyes and to nowhere else.

'Look at me, Ayumi... do not look away from me even form an instant and listen to my every word.'

..

Ayumi's heart was pounding hard in her chest in being in such close contact with keima and doubly so because he wwanted to hold Ayumi in that fashion.

It was more than sufficient for all the blood to rush to her face, staining it a pinkish red and Ayumi simply looked at him, not even really listening to what he was saying, simply wishing that this moment would go on forever.

But listen she must and she shook her head to regain some of her higher mind functions as Keima started to speak once again.

'Do you remember what your wish was? The dream and aspiration that drove you to work hard for, to practise so hard, as well as the challenge that made motivated all of you to go against the unimaginable odds for you to be standing here?

Have you forgotten the tears and sweat that you have paid to earn the small recognition that you craved so much? Do you remember your promise to meet with Kanon on the Mai-High Festival?'

Asking her question after question, Keima allowed only a small time for the questions to sink into the girl's head before he started again, noting with satisfaction and relief as Ayumi did react to him mentioning Kanon.

As he had expected, the idol was the best candidate to help raise the fighting spirit of all of the girls as they viewed her as an important and the most difficult foe to overcome.

It was unheard of, a High School Band versus the Top Idol of their time, the ultimate David versus Goliath battle but as it was exactly that scenario was the end reward so tantalizing and meaningful to the girls.

'Do not forget that... hard work that all of you had played in... those memories are what shaped and defined you, the girl that is part of the 2B Pencils.

The dream that you shared along with the time that you spent together are what have brought you this far... do not destroy it in a single heartbeat because you saw an easy way out... do not give up your pride for something so trivial!'

Keima continued relentlessly even as Ayumi nodded in agreement to his words.

'The five of you are finally going to show the world what you are capable of... they acknowledged all of you by your skill and hard work, not your looks or what other vulgar thoughts that they are associating with. Those that bow down to the stereotypes that they are branded with are cowards who are trading away their ideals!

Do not... do NOT do that, Ayumi! You should be proud of who you are, what you believe in... your beliefs are yours and not others... do not give concessions... you should not give up who you are, who you will be and what you will achieve!

Not... to be ashamed at yourself for trying to resist those advances that are tempting you to stray from your path. They are the ones that are at fault, not you.'

Pausing to get a breah of air, Keima watched as Ayumi looked down, her hands reaching up to slowly push Keimas hands away from her but he refused to let go, not just yet anyway as he did not want her to look away now, to break eye contact and to ignore her deep rooted instincts of self-preservation.

It was wrong and unethical for her to sell her body to gain benefits in the first place!

..

..

'No one is perfect in the world; there will be those that give in to the temptation for an easy way out in exchange for... their own pride and dreams. You've heard of scandals that plagued different public servants, entertainers as well as normal white collared employees who do just that to get that small edge over others. However, I do not wish to see that happen to you.

You... I believe... no, I know that you deserve more, Ayumi... you really do.'

'T-then... K-k-keima-kun... w-wouldn't dislike me... f-for what... for... a-almost giving in? I... I didn't want to... to... b-b-but... I... I..!'

Stammering while confessing to Keima her feelings, Ayumi found herself overwhelmed by her own emotions and she hugged the **Capturing God** with all of her strength, squeezing him tight even as Keima replied with a curt and formal nod.

'I will never look down on you, Ayumi... never... y-you're special and unique to me... even amongst all of the girls... you are always... the first amongst all of them.'

It wasn't a true love confession, nor was it true love that was felt between the two of them. But it was close enough to make others and especially Ayumi mistaken his words for one.

Who in the right mind would say such embarrassing words with so much emotion unless they really felt something special for that certain some one?

'K-K-Keima-kun?'

Lost for words and unable to string even a word together coherently, Takahara Ayumi's thoughts were fully focused and dedicated to Katsuragi Keima in the light of his touching and emotional words.

She had been upset, demoralized and scandalized by what had happened and perhaps one of the reasons for the huge emotional trauma and scar that she suffered was that Ayumi was afraid that Keima would never look at her in the same way again.

That she would never be 'wanted' by Keima or anyone ever again as she was 'soiled' by the culprit.

Of course this was just an exaggeration but in the difficult emotional state that she was in, anything was possible to her.

By hearing Keima's words, his reassurance that she will forever be someone special to her made her worst fears be dispelled as easily as though they were never there.

The moment, time, atmosphere and mood was right, there could be no one who would fault her for not seizing the opportunity!

..

'A-ano neh...'

Ayumi's voice broke slightly as she slowly pushed away from Keima, making the boy realized how close the two of them were together and his face flushed momentarily, a hint of red gracing his face as Ayumi leaned closer to him, tiptoeing as she pushed her face towards him, not letting him have a chance to retreat or to push her away as she advanced on her, seizing the chance that she had been granted unwillingly by the boy.

'I... I realy... do like you after all, K-keima-kun. So... p-please forgive me for being s-selfish...'

She managed to confess to him before kissing him softly on the lips, it was perhaps nothing as compared to the first kiss that they shared, lasting for only a few seconds as she made contact with him before she herself pulled away from him coyly and shyly.

Ayumi was perhaps embarrassed at her taking advantage of the situation like that as she moved away from him nervously, not once looking back at Keima's eyes, where one would see a mixture of emotions ranging from regret to resignation at her sudden confession.

But for that girl that had just confessed, it was something that she had not planned for in advance. In her mind, she wanted her confession to be in a better place and after a significant milestone had passed between the two of them, like after they passed the audition to play at the Mai-High Festival.

However she could not complain about the atmosphere as it was perfect, the two of them were... in a world of their own, their emotions running high with their thoughts filled with the other party.

There was nothing to fault with that and Ayumi was now glad... that horrible incident had happened as she could now hear first-hand what the boy felt for her.

It had been awkward at the start as it seemed to her that Keima had ignored or was trying to forget what had happened between the two of them.

The memories had been fuzzy, as if she herself had successfully forgotten about the time they spent together as well. It had seemed to take place in a totally different place or to a totally different person as Ayumi could not remember precisely... exactly how they had gotten close together in the first place... for the two of them to do 'that' together.

She could only know and feel that he had helped her lift and remove a tremendous load off her shoulders. At the same time however, after spending a long time with her she figured that he had always meant well... although his actions were crude and easy to misunderstand, that was what he always have been plagued with, misunderstanding.

There was no one who wished to know who this person, Katsuragi Keima was like before her sister, Katsuragi Elsi had transferred into the school. Come to think of it, it was around the same time that she began to be interested in knowing more about him too.

..

..

It was true that she had been confused about what she felt for him ever since he had joined them as their manager. At first she admitted that she was perhaps biased on what she felt for him before, the positive feelings and opinion that she had retained and had associated him with making it easy to acclimatize to his managing style and with each new and successful plan that he pulled off, her faith and feelings for him had grown by leaps and bounds.

Perhaps it was admiration or perhaps it was attraction, Katsuragi Keima could not do wrong in front of Takahara Ayumi and it was exactly that which had made her fall in love with him.

It was not just simply attraction or a passing crush that she felt between the two of them, it was genuine, heads-over-heels love. Ayumi wanted him to look at her only, to have him think of her solely even if that was selfish as she did not mind giving everything she had to him.

That was not an exaggeration and Ayumi felt as though she was on the top of the world, living on the feeling of bliss and satisfaction of being with him, in the little world of their own.

Perhaps it was bordering on obsession and as Ayumi stepped a few steps away from Keima, she asked him shyly.

'I... I... I understand that... it's sudden... suddenly telling Keima-kun that I liked you. B-but... I would really... it would really mean a lot to me... if you do go out with me, Keima-kun.'

The words were easy to say now as compared to what she had tried practising a few days ago, it had been difficult to say that out loud as though she really meant it, but now that she had, it was as though Ayumi really did not mind that at all if the whole world knew that she liked Katsuragi Keima.

In fact, she was certain that if Keima asked her to do that to get him to go out with her, she would do it over the broadcast system with pride and joy if she had to.

'No, it's not... it's a little early but it's right on schedule.'

Keima spoke something that she didn't quite understand as he cleared his throat and told her to forget what he just said.

..

..

'Ayumi... so do you want an answer... now?'

Keima asked in a calm voice as he looked at Ayumi standing a few steps away from him, his face was still red but he seemed fully in control of his emotions, which was hardly what Ayumi was feeling right now as she was nervously waiting for a reply from Keima.

'C-can you r-really? I... If you could... I...'

She was obviously hoping for the best and assuming that Keima would not reject her, why would anyone reject her?

..

For Katsuragi Keima, the situation was one of many that could have happened and truth be told he was a little surprised at Ayumi confessing in such a fashion.

On hindsight however, Keima had totally overlooked that the incident could be an 'event' and he had unwittingly triggered a very huge 'flag' in the Takahara Ayumi route by saving her from that sleazy individual and besides, Keima knew that he would have done so even if he was given an option to not save her.

He reacted without thinking when he realized what was happening and he was proud to do so, even if that might have led him to this current turn of events.

What did he feel for Takahara Ayumi? That was the question that was being popped to him and Keima could think of many things that he felt and thought about the girl in front of him right now.

However Keima refused to be baited into that question at all, the issue was not whether he 'liked' Ayumi, he did like her in some ways but perhaps not in THAT special way that Ayumi hoped for.

Or was it? Keima wasn't really sure what he felt for the girls now, as a group he knew he was obliged to help them while at the sae time proud of what they have achieved under his guidance.

They were his charges but at the same time, he felt a part of them as a group as well, a honour that was rarely, if ever given to anyone at all.

Still, Keima could not pinpoint what did he feel for them individually and this was Ayumi's question or challenge to him. One that he refused to scrutinize at this point of time as he knew that he would be swayed both by the atmosphere as well as his basest instincts. Even if she was definitely his type and one that he viewed to be special too.

'I can't give you an answer now.. but... you'll know my answer at the end of the Mai-high festival... that I promise you... It would be wise not to be biased for now and to play favorites so soon.'

Keima spoke softly while watching Ayumi lower her head in disappointment. It must be a shock or at least a surprise to the girl as she tried hard to keep a smiling face as she nodded to him in understanding and Keima took that as a good thing as the last thing that he wanted for the girls to start squabbling with each other over him after all the work he had put in to prevent exactly that from happening.

'I... I see... b-but, Keima-kun... d-do I even a chance? I... I mean... do... you even... like me... at all?'

A last desperate plea and question from the girl and this was one question that the **Capturing God** can answer easily with a straight face.

..

..

'Of course... in many ways... I do appreciate you, Ayumi... and... I do... like you, in some ways.'

It was vague, very vague... but probably enough to appease and to anger Ayumi at the same time... but as Keima offered her a small hug, rubbing away the tears from her eyes and being oh so gentle with it, Ayumi let it slide...

Even if she has no hope left to cling on to, she would want to keep on believing.

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**Author's Notes: Here's your fluff guys. Sorta... just give me some reviews :D**


	51. Changes in One's Heart

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 51: Changes in One's Heart**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Thank you for sticking with me so far, I'll do my best to continue to provide good and acceptable work for all of you! Thank you, Kaiser Dude for the Beta-edit!  
**

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While Ayumi was having that one to one session with Keima, the other girls were hanging around the outside of the classroom, wondering and barely containing their curiosity at finding out what was going on between the two of them if not for one person who seemed to be determined in not letting anyone have a peek.

That person was surprisingly Kosaka Chihiro as she raised her arms over the door that would give them the perfect view of what was going on in the classroom.

Why was she doing this when she was the one who wanted to peep the most out of all of them?

Perhaps it has to do with how she felt after seeing Ayumi being as demoralized more than ever before at being exposed to... the harsh realities of life.

Chihiro didn't think that there would be a day where she would rue at being 'too' famous or popular but this was the first time that Chihiro honestly felt happy at being 'normal' as compared to Ayumi or Haqua.

In truth she had been a little jealous and disturbed at times when the boys paid so much attention to the two of them rather than the other girls...

Well, honesty makes her admit that she was a little conscious of her own looks and she wondered what it would take for her to get some attention of her own.

She was a girl after all and even though she had special feelings for a certain boy around her, she would like to have others notice her as well.. at least that's what she imagined but it was amazing how quickly her opinion changed upon seeing what happened to Ayumi.

..

That was her mistake, she was too busy thinking of herself and being flattered by Taka as well as his demonstrations that she had failed to notice what happened to Ayumi. To make up for that she would do anything to get Ayumi back to her usual cheerful and optimistic self as it had hurt her deeply to see Ayumi being so... unlike herself.

Even if it meant giving Ayumi an opportunity to be with Keima alone. Yes, she knew the implications of letting that happen, one will have to be a fool to not notice the longing look that Ayumi shoots Keima when she thought no one was looking at her as well as the way she eagerly clung to Keima when they were walking home from practice or how she was always defending Keima from the other girls.

Chihiro knew, no, everyone knew that Ayumi felt something for Keima... and she had perhaps felt that way for quite some time, before Chihiro had realized that she too, viewed Keima as different.

But by then it was already too late and Chihiro could only watch from the sidelines as Ayumi was in the 'lead' so to speak and although there wasn't any spoken agreement or given statement that Katsuragi Keima was not available or taken by Ayumi, it was all but obvious to the rest of the girls that Takahara Ayumi was very interested in him.

That begs the question, how much is enough? Ayumi was Chihiro's best friend along with Teraday Miyako and thankfully the latter has no interest in the boy whatsoever and although rational sense told her that it was silly to lose such a great friend, as well as the friendship that they built up together over a boy, someone who could possibly be just a mere passing infatuation, sometimes rational sense just wasn't built to fight with matters of the heart.

For now however, the combined cost of Ayumi's friendship as well as the importance of the band was enough to keep Chihiro at bay and she stubbornly refused to let any of the other girls take even a slight peep at what was going on.

..

'Chihiro, you can't tell me that you don't want to see what's happening?'

Miyako implored to her as she hung on to Chihiro's hands, waving it in the air in a childish manner and even pouting to try and get even a chuckle from the serious girl to let them just take a small peep into the classroom.

Miyako's curiosity was getting the better of her and she was dying to know what was going on and she was literally salivating at the possible scandalous material that she might be able to see by just opening the door a small crack.

'They could be kissing for all we know!'

It wasn't exactly the right way to gain the girl's attention but that was Miyako's last card that she could play and of course it worked, making her the center of the attraction as she continued.

Looking at her were of course Chihiro, Elsi and a painfully obvious Haqua who was looking out the window and trying to be disinterested.

'Keima could decide the easiest way to get rid of Ayumi-chan's new-found fear of boys was to kiss her, right? That's the simplest solution if you ask me!'

That was such a stupid suggestion and Miyako swore that was it if only Haqua had not taken her seriously and she materialized a scythe out of nowhere as she advanced towards the door, grumbling about how he was taking advantage of the girl's emotional state.

Funny how it doesn't seem so odd after seeing her carry it with her a few times and it seemed that no one else found it odd, although Miyako sometimes does wonder how and why does she keep a 'disposable' scythe around at all times.

The word ' Self Defence' comes to mind but even that was quite a flimsy explanation... still, that was not the point here, oh no, the point was how the three of them have to pull Haqua back to prevent her from kicking the door open, Chihiro having been quickly intimidated to give up her protective position with a simple glare from Haqua.

'I was kidding! Kidding! He wouldn't do that! It's not like he has kissed Ayumi before!'

It was amazing how she managed to hit into certain, unseen landmines that day as Chihiro turned bright red and even Elsi seemed a little embarrassed at how Miyako could brazenly say that out loud.

Oh right, maybe he did kiss Ayumi before... the two of them were very close a period of time before... then does that mean that besides Ayumi, Keima had kissed Chihiro or Elsi too?

..

..

Suddenly it didn't feel that wrong to have Keima be taught a lesson after all and Miyako released her hold on Haqua, allowing the girl to advance forward with a vengeance. Miyako has always thought that Keima was a gentleman, someone who would be chivalrous, understanding as well as loyal to his chosen other half but from the reaction that she was getting from the other girls, Keima really had toyed with the feelings of those girls for too long and it was time to put an end to this, especially if he was going to hurt Ayumi by taking advantage of her emotional state, like what Haqua was muttering about.

It would be fine if Keima was going out with Ayumi, which he wasn't...

Feeling a headache coming again, Miyako realized that she had not realized or have taken to heart the full extent of the situation and how complex it was.

She knew for a fact that Katsuragi Keima was an anomaly, someone who was called the Otamegane and was generally actively disliked and considered to be a hopeless case in school. Even so, he had somehow managed to be their manager and although Miyako herself had no complaints about that, she knew that he was only given that chance due to the uncharacteristic acceptance of Keima by Ayumi as well as Chihiro.

Something therefore must have happened between Keima and the two of them and by digging through her memory, Terada Miyako knew that there was a period of time where Keima was seen hanging around Ayumi as well as Chihiro, spending time together or being seen together in school.

It wasn't just a secret rendezvous either, they were seen in public and in general for Ayumi, the two of them together was the gossip of the week.

Even so, those rumours died down after the week was up and everything seemed to be back to normal with Ayumi shunning Keima and him avoiding her as well.

It just did not make sense for someone to give up after putting in so much effort to try and win Ayumi's heart in such an eye-catching way. What made it even more confusing was that now, after trying hard to remember what happened, the entire situation was fishy from the start till the end and Miyako wished not for the first time that there was a high school newspaper in the school, if there were, perhaps she would be able to get some more information from their archives in the gossip column.

No, there was definitely something... odd and she has taken things for granted too long...

'… there is something odd... but do I wish to be involved?'

She asked herself softly, something which Haqua noticed as she paused in front of the door for a moment as she stared at Miyako for a while.

This girl was labelled by the **Capturing God** as a threat and an anomaly and it seemed like with all of his predictions, it was coming true after all.

..

..

The wool that had been placed so securely in front of everyone's eyes was being unravelled by the most inconspicuous person of all, the normal human being, Terada Miyako.

* * *

..

..

Even as Terada Miyako made her own assumptions through her own reflection of the situation, Elsi's thoughts were in an altogether different path as she looked from the sidelines, unsure whether she should even be involved in the first place.

No, she had not lost all her confidence but she has merely lost all sense of direction.

She was unsure of what she should be doing, her priorities had always been set in stone and that was to assist in her partner, the awe-inspiring **Capturing God** in whatever what he would need to help capture the Weiss that she found.

It was a simpler time then, where she could pretend and squash the emotions that she felt for him as they were related by blood.

Yes, they were brothers and sisters and wouldn't it be simple if they had kept it that way? There was a thin line that could not be crossed over no matter what they do and perhaps it was Docrow Skull's idea in the first place to place Elsi as Keima's sister to prevent this... 'incident' from happening in the first place.

If they were real and true siblings, logically it would be impossible for them develop feelings for each other as it was shunned by public... no, it was considered taboo by everyone to fall for one's brother... but it was too late.

Elsi had seen first-hand what was over the other side and there was no going back from where she came from.

She, Katsuragi Elsi and not Elucia de Lute Ima had fallen in love with Katsuragi Keima and the reason for her stating so was clear only to her.

She did not want to fall in love with him as a devil, but as a real human being... by shedding the title and name that she was given by her family, she would be free from the failures that had plagued her life up till now.

She would no longer be the younger sister of her much accomplished and powerful sister and would be herself, starting anew with a brand new plate... even if she might be committing the ultimate taboo by falling in love with her brother.

..

..

Yes, even so, there was no reason for her to fall back now... not when she could see that her friends harboured the same feelings for him and has been for quite some time.

Elsi felt like her heart could burst every single time he looked at her even for a second longer and she felt like she was in heaven when she was praised by him for her hard work and she would continue to work hard... even if her patriotism have changed from the initial goal of assisting Keima and capturing Weiss to have him look at her and her only.

Why does she feel that her earlier mission seemed so... boring and unimportant as compared to seeing him smile at her? It was like comparing the sun to the moon; they were totally different and yet... were equally important to her.

In a way, Elsi's life revolved around those two important things in her life that gave her reason. Her initial goal and mission of capturing Weiss and the second being **Katsuragi Keima.**

Why her fanatic devotion to those two causes? Well for starters Elsi's main profession had been a cleaner for the majority of her life, something which must have pained her with each passing year as her elder sister was a Spirit Hunter.

It was only when New Hell needed manpower to help capture the wayward Weiss that Elsi was finally given a chance to be a Spirit Hunter after a long and lonely 200++ years of being a cleaner.

As Elsi had explained and told Keima before, being a spirit hunter was everything to her as she could finally be on the same level as her sister and could finally do something meaningful with her life, something her mission of capturing Weiss had given her.

What's more with Keima's help she was able to capture a record number of Weiss in such a short time, allowing her to be recognized and awarded an award from director Docrow Skull himself.

It was no wonder that Elsi view those two life changing events as something that was the most precious to her... and for quite a while those two events balanced each other out.

Elsi would have to keep her relationship with Keima as siblings as it would affect her main mission of capturing weiss and she should continue assisting Keima to help her main mission in the first place!

It was a perfect balance and she was happy that way... till the balance started to shift... till her feelings for Keima started to grow out of control and what was even more mysterious about the situation was that Elsi had not realized it was happening till it was too late and she could no longer reverse the effects.

A rational and frightened part of her asked her the one question that had been on Haqua's mind all this time: "Why? Why did you fall in love with Keima... just like that?'

..

* * *

..

Before Haqua could kick down the door however, Ayumi opened the door instead and she looked at Haqua awkwardly, the latter hiding her scythe behind her as she asked them what were they doing.

'W-were you eavesdropping?'

Ayumi covered her mouth as her face burned red again as the girls just shook their heads and answered no and they didn't, really!

'Oh... I see... well we're done now and I'm fine now, he told me something important... thanks to Keima-kun... so shall we go and celebrate Haqua-chan joining the 2B Pencils!'

Being back to her usually cheerful self, which was a very good chance that made the girls feel like a big weight was carried off their shoulders, Ayumi giggled as she said a few lines that made every one of them very,very excited.

'Haqua-chan said that she wanted to get some new clothes for the performance right? Keima-kun said that he would pay for us in advance as I can't get my allowance till next week~'

Keima added on wearily as he revealed that the 2B Pencils will get a small performance commission from the club where they would be performing in two nights time and that he would deduct their expenses from that commission to tide things over later on.

'For now, we should go and celebrate... but we do have a budget so choose wisely... especially you, Miyako.'

Pointing to the one girl that was looking at Haqua as though sizing her up in different clothes, the normal human girl stuck her tongue out as Haqua hugged herself protectively, now sensing the threat that the girl was, in more ways than one.

'Let's go then!'

Pumping her hand in the air, Ayumi led the rest of the girls back into the classroom to collect their bags and to freshen up as Keima simply stood outside, pulling his PFP out and starting to game once again.

..

..

'You... didn't do anything to Ayumi-chan... did you?'

It was Elsi who popped that question to Keima and instinctively the **Capturing God** knew that he needed to think this through carefully for the wrong step would mean disaster for his plan, the one ending that he wished to achieve and one that he had 'seen' to be the best and difficult ending for this scenario.

It was not that he did not wish to find out the truth... he has already seen the truth and know what might had happened.

Now it was up to him to solve this incident once and for all.

'… I can't tell you that, Elsi... it's confidential.'

He said so nonchalantly and he watched as Elsi's expression darkened and she visibly shook for a moment, her timid and hopeful demeanor almost breaking for a moment till Keima just shook his head and ran one hand through her hair to comfort the girl.

'I gave Ayumi some advice, Elsi... are you jealous of Ayumi?'

'I... I...'

'I don't wish to play favorites now, just like what I told Ayumi then... so... Elsi, you should go join the girls now.'

Keima told her gently and reassuringly while looking straight in her eyes and making sure that Elsi was fully convinced of his words. He truly did not wish to play favorites... but he himself felt a little heartbroken at seeing Elsi depressed like that.

It was true that he was changing... but he was not going to give up on his own morals and beliefs without a fight.

No, he wasn't.

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**Author's Notes: I hope my dry spell is only temporary...**


	52. Ultimatum

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 52: Ultimatum**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Thank you, Kaiser dude for the beta-edit as always.**

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The mood was definitely different from how it was like before and it was for the better thankfully as the girls and Keima left for the welcoming party together.

Their destination was naturally the karaoke despite Haqua and Chihiro busting their voices out earlier during practise as Ayumi insisted on it. Perhaps Ayumi wanted to to relieve some of her tension by singing as well?

Reassured by what she had heard from Keima, Elsi was in her usual jovial self, chatting eagerly and energetically with the rest of the girls and especially so with Ayumi; and just by seeing that, he felt a little more relieved at his chances at getting out of this situation unscathed and without any further repercussions.

Ayumi in particularly had bounced back quicker than he had expected and it seemed that his little pep talk with her had worked well and had only served as a big motivator for her to continue on in the path that he had laid for her.

There had been a brief moment that Keima had been worried that she would react negatively to his rejection of her but it seemed that she was patient enough to wait for an answer from him.

He felt a little guilty, just a little really at how unreasonable he was being as well as how the girls always seem to be so accepting of his ways.

Yes, he could probably find ways and means to justify his selfish actions but that does not mean that the girls would be be willing to humour or be obliged to accept him.

The way he asked them to wait, the many reasons that he gave to show that he wasn't able to make a decision, the excuses that he gave to make them hope and pray for the answer that he himself knew that it was impossible, all those reasons were weighing down on him and every new promise that he made was something that he...was not certain that he could commit to at all.

..

He had been obliged to help out with the 2B Pencils due to his earlier promise with Chihiro that he would give a helping hand whenever she needed help after all.

It wasn't the first time that he had done so; he had offered a helping hand in assisting the four of them on their preparation for a pop quiz to secure an agreement for them to form a Light Music Club in the first place.

His obligation to help should have ended there but it seems that he was being too soft-hearted with the girls for him to be in the current situation right now.

Yes, his infiltration of the 2B Pencils was partly due to his desire and wish in searching for the culprit that caused everyone to regain their memories in the first place.

But now that he knew the truth, there was no further obligation at all for him to invest and put so much effort into the 2B Pencils as a whole, right?

Wouldn't it be more prudent and efficient if he actually placed emphasis on the root of the problem and to solve it instead?

The **Capturing God** couldn't come up with a single solid reason for him to keep assisting those girls but in all of honest,y does he really mind helping them at all in the first place at all?

The smiles from the girls as they thanked him for his help, their faith and trust in him as well as how in general his reputation had gotten better were all pluses for him thanks to his involvement with the girls.

That was just an addition to all the positive attention that he had been able to generate from his efforts in promoting the girls.

It... did indeed feel better to be acknowledged and accepted like this, that was one fact that Keima would readily admit to the world. Even if he was numb to the dirty looks and the insults that were whispered in private everyone else, they hurt too. Even if he was indeed above all of their abuse and their comments of him, it was something enjoyable to be recognized for his talent and skills too.

'Tsk...'

Keima was forced to look to the side as he cursed silently at how he was getting tempted by the prospects of being popular or at least, liked by the general public. It would indeed be different from what he was used to and there was really no need for anyone to tempt him, he himself was the sole beneficiary and his sharp and calculative mind was working against him as the possibilities were indeed endless if he did decided to nurture the 2B Pencils.

With his knowledge of human nature, gained through his games, it wouldn't be an impossible dream to really challenge Kanon in the regional stage. Stranger things have happened after all and so... why not, really?

..

..

'Katsuragi-kun?'

Breaking him out of his inner debate, Keima looked up to see Terada Miyako looking at him curiously as he had apparently gotten separated from the rest of the group while he was deep in his thoughts and he apologized to Miyako as she shook her head as well.

'No, I should thank you for helping Ayumi through that difficult phase. I knew men were all perverts by nature... but I didn't know that they could stoop so low.'

Sniffing the air in discontent, Keima allowed some time to pass between them as Miyako settled down to walk beside him as he commented that it was true to some degree.

'People are naturally drawn to attractive people, people who are pleasing to the eye. We are built this way and in the end, looks really does matter even if the popular saying says that the inner self should be valued. One is always assessed by looks due to one having a lack of information to judge another person with other more relevant traits.'

'I guess so, that's why they all say that one should always 'dress for the part' as first impression always counts, right? It was just pure luck that Ayumi... met someone like that? I could just slap him now.'

Demonstrating how she would do so by giving the air a mock slap, Miyako nodded in understanding even as Keima explained to her.

'Yes, it was bad luck on her part. Ayumi was not wearing anything provocative and neither was she hinting nor flirting with the individual to encourage him. There were no justifications for him to do so besides his own lust... If I had to put it bluntly like that.'

Keima coughed discreetly even as Miyako nodded in understanding. The boy's action can really never be fully justified but that does not mean that he should get a free pass just because Keima could do that for him.

'Well... Ayumi-chan is really cute isn't she? I wouldn't... blame him for wanting to go out with Ayumi... but touching is a no-no and what he did was totally wrong! I hope he gets punished for it!'

Miyako said so sternly while crossing her legs and she smiled in gratitude when Keima offered to carry her instrument for her and she commented that Keima was really a gentleman after all.

'It would be difficult for one to do so without implicating Ayumi in some manner. It would be best to let sleeping dogs lie, I trust that none of you would want to have something like this brought to the spotlight for the while school to scrutinize... it is difficult to accept that he might be able to get away with this scot-free... but as it is...

Keeping the incident a secret has better benefits than bringing it out in the open. The expression 'airing one's dirty linen' would rather be avoided here... not only would it affect Ayumi in a negative light, it would just hurt your chances of being able to perform at the Mai-High festival.'

Taking a breath after he said so much, Keima quickly added on as Miyako nodded in understanding.

'Controversy is something that we should avoid right now, not encourage...'

Miyako fell silent after that, perhaps she ran out of things to say as the two of them followed the gaggle of girls who were chatting eagerly with themselves, probably about clothes.

..

'Would it be alright if I ask you a question, Katsuragi-kun?'

Miyako suddenly asked as the other girls dropped by a shop all of a sudden, pulled in by Ayumi as the other two found themselves waiting for them outside the shop and looking in at the girls trying out matching clothes together with each other.

There really isn't a need to go all punk or gothic if they wanted to make a statement, summer was over after all... perhaps some bright clothes symbolizing themselves and reflecting their desire to project themselves as cheerful would suffice as well.

Keima was surprised and caught off guard by her sudden request as he was admiring how Elsi seemed to be picking out quite a decent outfit and Miyako had to tug at his shoulders to get his attention.

'Naturally I would answer it to the best of my ability.'

Clearing his throat and pushing his glasses up, Keima paid full attention to Miyako as she added on quickly.

'A personal question and a hypothetical one of course, just to indulge me.'

Miyako had a shy smile on her face and Keima frowned slightly, warning bells going off on his head as he nodded slowly, preparing a slew of possible responses on the back of his mind as he waited.

'What if I said that I liked you, would you go out with me at all?'

Keima did not make a face and he did not cough either, he was indeed surprised by her question but as he had just been confessed earlier, the shock factor from her confession was not high enough to register at all today.

With a completely straight face he watched as Miyako continued on.

'It's only a hypothetical one of course, assuming that you did like me back and you would go out with me~'

'That defeats the question in the first place, Terada.'

Deadpanning to the girl in front of her, Keima sighed as Miyako laughed at his response.

'Of course, of course... but I'm surprised that Katsuragi-kun did not even react to me saying that all of a sudden... am I not cute enough for you?'

Batting her eyelids, Miyako giggled again as Keima sighed once more in response, polite enough to say that was not it.

'There's no need to be so polite, Katsuragi-kun, I know you prefer girls like Ayumi-chan and Haqua-chan more, desho?'

Hitting the bullet on the head, Miyako did indeed pinpoint the archetypes that he himself prefer and Keima found himself raising an eyebrow as he asked why did she want to ask him that all of a sudden.

..

'I wanted to know if that is even possible, for Katsuragi-kun to date someone who he is managing... I wouldn't think it be fair to the rest of the girls at all...'

Leaning against a wall, Miyako raised a perfectly valid argument and it simply made Keima respect the girl a little more as he answered with a shake of his head.

'That would be a conflict of interest like how you would imagine it to be and as such, I would not allow it, both in a personal as well as a professional level.'

Miyako smiled happily as Keima made his point and statement to her. She really hoped that was the case as she had heard of so many reports on celebrities having intimate relationships with people that they have a professional relationship with at the same time.

Those relationships never last and it usually affected their profession to some degree, not to mention how it would actually create tension in the group as a whole.

'Not even if it was kept a secret?'

Miyako pressed on and she seemed satisfied as Keima made it clear to her that there was no way that he would allow that to happen.

'I'm relieved and glad... if Ayumi-chan had really confessed to you then...'

Covering her mouth as she slipped up, Miyako watched as Keima seemed uncomfortable about talking about it and her mouth dropped in shock.

'N-no way, did she really do that? W-what did you say, Katsuragi-kun? I knew Ayumi-chan wanted to confess to Keima-kun after the audition bu-'

Seeing Keima raise an eyebrow at the juicy details that she was giving out, Miyako covered her mouth once again and cursed herself for being such a blabbermouth at times. This time she was not giving out details purposely, she really did slip up and it might have some consequences for her and Ayumi as Keima seemed to be reflecting on what he have been just told.

'N-neh, K-katsuragi-kun... p-please don't tell Ayumi that I told you that... but if she had confessed already...'

Playing with her fingers, the two of them did not hear the retreating footsteps from the front of the door, they belonging to a certain girl that was holding on to her stringed instrument as she retreated back to the shop after hearing their words.

A certain short-haired girl that was breathless and unable to speak for a few seconds as she composed herself while looking at herself in a mirror.

..

'What did you tell her? A-are you going out with her then? W-what did you say!'

Miyako had to ask that question even though the answer was clear, perhaps she imagined that Keima would give into one of the seven sins, lust and said yes? She was giving him too little credit and Keima shook his head.

'I did not give her the response that she desired...'

'S-so you rejected her?'

Miyako did indeed seem genuinely surprised; did she believe that Ayumi would have the highest potential to go out with him after all? It made Keima feel a little complicated that the truth was that Nakagawa Kanon has actually the highest chance to be with him, her willingness to give up everything for him made it difficult for him to fully reject her after all.

'Not quite, I told her that it was not time yet... that it would be a conflict of interest if I did say yes.'

'So there's a chance that you might actually say yes then? Why wouldn't you do that, Katsuragi-kun? Ayumi-chan is cute, she's popular and there are so many guys who would die to have a chance to go out with her! And having a girl confess to a guy is breaking the rules anyway!'

Miyako seemed cross that he would actually say that and Keima responded patiently, keeping tabs on the girls in the same time to make sure that they were still in the store as he moved his body to face Miyako again.

'I told her to be patient... that I would give her an answer after the Mai-High festival... nothing is set in stone yet.'

It was more to appease Miyako than anything else as Keima knew that the girl was making a scene as he quickly added once again.

'I am a firm believer in gender equality, if a person likes someone and who he or she feels that they wish for the person to know, there is no 'rule' stating that they cannot confess on their own.'

Crossing her arms and looking a little indignant that Miyako would even follow those outdated 'rules of dating', causing the girl to be a little flustered as she admitted that it was true.

'But a gentleman never lets a lady wait! Isn't that right? So why are you making her wait? If you do like Ayumi, why won't you go out with her?'

..

If only it was that simple and Keima explained once again about the conflict of interest that she had pointed out earlier and Miyako nodded in frustration, repeating to him that she DID get the point but... but...

'But... what? Are you implying that I should just go out with Ayumi, causing tension in the group and eventually making all of you fail the audition because of the subsequent falling out with the other girls?'

'No, Not that! B-but that means- Oh! You KNEW! You knew that Chihiro like you too, right?'

It seems that there was another accidental slip up in Keima's part and it was Keima's turn to flinch and for Miyako to stare daggers at the **Capturing God** as the girl pointed an accusing finger at him.

'You're not my type so I have no idea why they like you... but if you do know that they do like you... why are you helping us when it's just making the situation worse... I've always thought that you were oblivious... but this...'

'I made a promise to help her when she was in need of help... that is why I'm here as your manager.'

Keima replied with a straight face and although Miyako seemed to find that answer to be insufficient, she nodded in acknowledgement.

'Fine... but you shouldn't keep the two of them waiting... or else...'

Slapping the air again, Miyako fell silent while waiting for the girls to come out to fetch them, not knowing that someone from amongst them had heard the earlier part of their conversation, which contained content that was easy to be mistaken.

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**Author's Notes: I'm dropping hints everywhere... and I'll cut down on my plot deviations.**


	53. Fun, Fun Times

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 53: Fun, Fun Moments **

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Thank you for taking time to read this. As usual, thank you, Kaiser Dude for the beta edit **

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'What's wrong Elsi-chan?'

Asking her fellow demon, Haqua took a sip of water after her turn on the karaoke machine along with Ayumi and she smiled cheerfully at her best friend.

She was having fun, really having fun as well as feeling relieved at how Ayumi had regained her energy and optimism after having that small pep talk with Keima.

Should she say it was just as she expected after all? Even if she would never admit it to Keima in person, Haqua had very high hopes and expectations for Keima and if he was unable to solve Ayumi's little crisis, she would be very disappointed in him.

But he had not failed her in that aspect and she was very delighted that Ayumi was back to normal.

Odd how easy it was for her to call them as her friends. If she had known that earlier, would she have agreed to Keima's request to join them in playing as a band?

Friends... could be both a boon as well as a bane. That was what Haqua had declared a long time ago when she wanted to be the best in everything in life.

They all say that with friends, one has double the happiness and half the sorrow... real friends share both the happy as well as the sad moments in life after all.

Haqua had imagined it to be impossible; friends only wanted friends because of the advantages they could offer to themselves. That was what Haqua had believed, friends are people with benefits after all?

Not to be confused with the term: 'Friends with benefits' after all; that would be very rude.

However, Haqua now felt a little differently after seeing the little drama they had just went through.

Even if the others, Chihiro, Miyako and Elsi didn't do much, (It was Keima's solitary effort that helped Ayumi after all), they neither avoided Ayumi nor shun her; instead they gathered around her and offered her moral support till the end.

They did not give her up on her, nor did they ever seem to even consider that option.

Elsi, no, all of them just stood by her silently to give her strength.

..

Haqua would have thought that was wishful thinking before, that one of the most important and simple ways to offer help was to be there for someone when they really needed one's support.

However, that seemed to be really what Ayumi needed, someone, anyone to stand by her, to prove that she was not wrong, that she was not at fault for what had been done to her; that all of her friends forgave her for what she has not done or what had happened to her. Acceptance was perhaps what Ayumi needed, not denial or rejection from her friends.

Yes, it might be hypothetical but Haqua could be optimistic a little right?

Still, Haqua was concerned for Elsi as her mood as taken a turn for the worse after they went out, specifically after they bought some clothes at the shop that Ayumi had suggested.

Her clothes were of course paid by Keima, and Haqua was in pretty good spirits as it was her first gift in the human world from anyone besides Yukie and to think that it was given by Keima made it doubly special, not that she would ever admit that of course.

They had gone on to grab a bite to eat, with Keima calling home to inform his mother that they would be eating out for once.

It seems that approval was granted quickly, much too enthusiastically for some reason and it was revealed that it was the first time that either Keima or Elsi had went out to eat dinner with their friends and Maria-san had given them their blessings.

Blessings huh? It was a little odd but knowing Keima's weird habits, that fact was probably not an exaggeration.

..

Grabbing a bite at a local diner that Chihiro recommended, Haqua wasn't too surprised to see Ayumi polish off two separate servings of rice with side dishes to go with them, the girl was full of energy and glowing with confidence as if nothing had happened a few hours before.

That was a good thing, right?

'I'm glad that Ayumi is back to normal now. Or should I say... put that behind her.'

Commenting to Haqua as she slowly ate her order, a small order of Ramen with Ebi Tempura as her side dish, Chihiro was surprised when Haqua asked her if it was normal.

'Normal? Ah... I get what you mean... but it's kind of hard to explain... how do I put this...'

Putting her bowl down, the two girls looked to the end of the table where Ayumi was speaking with Miyako in an energetic manner, talking about the clothes they just bought as well as on which shop they were going to browse next.

'Well, it isn't normal... the situation isn't normal in the first place right?'

Pointing out a valid point, Haqua nodded in agreement as Chihiro lowered her voice while speaking with Haqua, determined to keep the conversation strictly between the two of them.

Keima was at the washroom so it could be considered an all-girls outing for now anyway.

'Sexual harassment, that's what they call it They say that it could scar someone for life... for Ayumi to... just not care about it... is really odd.'

It really was difficult to phrase it to words like Chihiro said and Haqua nodded in understanding while eating her Udon.

Yes, Udon, Haqua was a firm believer in eating healthy and keeping fit. That's how she kept her figure anyway! She could say the same to Elsi too as she was only having a bowl of rice and a fish side dish... she really was eating quite little today, was the food her not suited to her taste?

..

'I agree... well, I doubt it's really something that serious... the boy didn't really do much to her...'

Haqua winced when Chihiro looked pissed off at her suggestion and the demon raised her hands up to appease her.

'I know he did something wrong... but it... really wasn't as serious as we thought, was it now? I mean... I know I'm a hypocrite for saying this... but it's a reality that boys or men like to flirt with girls right?

Just think about it for a while... and well, sometimes they get too close for comfort, desho? It's just... reality... perhaps we overreacted a little too?'

Haqua's words should have made Chihiro angrier but to her surprise she didn't and she just nodded silently in acceptance.

'I know... I know... but it's Ayumi we are talking about... I've never seen her behave like that before... even if it might something minor, it is a bad experience, Haqua. A really bad experience.'

Haqua did not deny that but she just wanted to mention to Chihiro that it was odd how Ayumi was able to seemingly bounce back from the ordeal just as easily as how she seemed to be affected by it.

'… Let's assume for a second that it was something different, like you scoring badly in an exam.'

Haqua winced slightly after hearing Chihiro's dry laughter that it was something quite common and Haqua apologize, assuring her that it was not a jab at her at all.

'If it was something like that, do you get all emotional over it? Let's assume that it's you have been doing well up till now, it would come as a shock right?'

Haqua continued when Chihiro nodded her head and Haqua made her point to her patiently.

'But would you be able to recover from such a setback so easily after feeling so bad about it? I mean... even if Ayumi is an optimistic person, which we all know she is... for her to recover so quickly...'

'It means that something must have happened between her and Katsuragi...'

Catching on to Haqua's implied reasoning and train of thought, Chihiro fell silent as Haqua watched the gears shift in her mind with a triumphant smile on her face.

Of course, Haqua had no idea what Keima was accomplishing at trying to be close to all of the girls in one go, was he trying to 'capture' all of them in one shot to learn the truth?

..

..

What did he mean by saying that he knew the truth of the situation?

Did he... really figure out what Haqua had figured out as well? That... perhaps the whole situation was caused by _her?_ Well, that was impossible... Keima had another lead that he wanted her to check out.

That video game shop that he frequented had been the location where all of the girls had visited over the summer holidays. It was the one link that all the girls had in common after all and Haqua promised to check up on the shop during the next week end, after their debut performance tomorrow.

It was enough for her to get a headache as her heavily packed schedule got even fuller now.

'Well... I'm just glad that Ayumi is back to normal now... that's all that mattered.'

Haqua did not fail to look at the sad smile on Chihiro's face as she went back to eating her meal, a thoughtful expression on her face while Haqua herself nodded agreement.

Neither of the girls knew that they had just helped Keima achieve the next step of his plan as the boy returned to his seat beside Elsi, nodding and engaging her in conversation about the rules that Maria had set for them to follow.

* * *

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..

After dinner it was off to the Karaoke and Haqua admitted that it was a very fun experience as she was ushered with the girls into a small room with a single machine.

It was all that the establishment could offer as they were fully packed, an oddity but Haqua did not mind as it helped build up the atmosphere, right?

As usual, Chihiro and Ayumi were the life of the party and after ordering their drinks, they somehow managed to make Keima sing the first song, much to the amusement of all the girls at his 'unique' style of singing.

Everyone were in fits of giggles after he was done and Haqua had to give Keima credit for keeping that straight face even with Elsi laughing so much that tears could be seen in her eyes. It was really something that Haqua could never dream of achieving, as in having Keima sing as well as Elsi laughing so hard like that and it seemed that impossibility was achieved by those two human girls.

Really, something very significant and an accomplishment, causing Haqua to stand up and accept Chihiro's challenge with a song she had never heard before.

It was impossible to expect her to be able to sing well in her first attempt but with some tips from Keima and some 'additional help' from her raiment, Haqua was able to keep up with Chihiro till the end of the song, earning herself applause from all of the people in the room.

The stage was set, the atmosphere was good and giddy and everyone seemed eager and happy to celebrate her joining the team, making the demon quite happy and embarrassed.

'I PROPOSE A TOAST TO HAQUA-CHAN~~'

Giddy with the atmosphere as well as the slightly alcoholic drink that she ordered, Miyako raised a glass to start the proceedings even as Elsi and Ayumi pulled out a small cake as well.

So that was where the girls disappeared off to and even Keima nodded in agreement, raising his glass of fruit juice as well.

'To Haqua-chan~~ and the 2B Pencils, WHOO HOO!'

Cheering together with Miyako, Ayumi was all smiles and even Chihiro gave a loud whoop while Elsi just hugged Haqua to commemorate the moment. Sure it was probably an exaggerated response to celebrate her 'joining' but Haqua realized that she really enjoyed it very much as she couldn't help but feel a little warm and fuzzy inside her as she joined in the celebrations, cutting the cake and having photographs taken with the girl's camera phones.

Of course, they shared the neoprints that they had taken in a nearby arcade, Haqua choosing to take a few that had her and Elsi taken together exclusively along with some taken with the girls as a group.

One of the most cherished photos was one with Keima surrounded by all of them, refusing to let him go even as he tried to wriggle out of their grasps.

Latching on to his arm unabashedly were Ayumi and Miyako, Chihiro pressing his shoulders down to force him to sit and of course, Elsi and Haqua holding on to his shoulders as they smiled while the picture was taken.

Surprisingly though Keima had seemed pretty relaxed, as though he was resigned to his fate at the last photo, even smiling just a bit for the camera.

It was really a great prize to have and Haqua made sure that she kept it safely before heading off.

..

..

Back to the main story, Elsi started but managed to reply her in the end after drinking a little tea that Haqua passed her.

'I-it's nothing, Haqua... I just feel a little tired.'

Trying to fool her with that shy smile of hers, Haqua was having none of that and she frowned at Elsi who was staying uncharacteristically quiet as she sat in the extreme corner of the room.

If Haqua remembered correctly Elsi had sang only one song, a song that she didn't practically sang that well with Miyako, the girl having noticed how quiet she was and Haqua admitted with some embarrassment that it was only due to her that she noticed how reserved the girl was.

She called herself Elsi's best friend but she was not the one that noticed her predicament, how embarrassing that must be for her and Haqua was determined to make it up to her by staying by her side, ignoring the festivities and celebrations going on for her sake.

'Please, you can't lie to me, Elsi... you're thinking about something... what is it? You can tell me, Elsi...'

She smiled in what she hoped to be a reassuring smile to Elsi but she was immediately rebuffed by the girl who shook her head.

'No, it's really nothing... you don't need to worry about it, Haqua...'

Elsi smiled back to Haqua but that only made Haqua more determined to know what was going on and she excused herself and Elsi, stating that they needed the washroom before pulling the girl out of the room and into the corridor to confront her.

'Now Elsi, I've known you for a very long time... and I know when you are troubled... so, won't you please tell me what is bothering you? Please, Elsi?'

Normally it took have taken a lot of effort for Haqua to say please to anyone, but if it was for Elsi, Haqua knew that would probably be able to coax the girl to speak her mind.

'N-No... it's really nothing... Really! W-we should be going back now...'

Elsi tried to squirrel her way back into the room only to be stopped by Haqua who raised her hands up to stop her, telling her that they could go on with this charade for as long as she like, but Haqua was not stepping down from her position.

She wanted to know what was bothering Elsi, and in some way or another, she would find out about it. It's up to Elsi to make it easier for her and for herself of course.

'So please, Elsi... tell me... what's wrong? You haven't been normal ever since we left school... right?'

Haqua had first noticed that after they got the clothes, Elsi hadn't been as excited as she should have been when Keima offered to pay for hers as well but she had refused him, saying that she'll buy them herself.

However, her energy level had returned after dinner or so she had assumed...

..

'So please, Elsi... tell me, what's wrong.'

Holding her shoulders firmly, Haqua stared into Elsi's eyes, finding them avoiding hers and she followed them stubbornly till Elsi finally sighed and nodded.

'O-okay... B-but...'

'I won't tell anyone else. I promise.'

'Not to anyone else! Not... even Kami Onii-sama...'

Hearing Elsi call him that made Haqua bristle slightly and at the same time, confirmed for her that it was really regarding Keima and the more senior devil sighed before nodding her again.

'W-what if... Kami Onii-sama... went out with Ayumi-chan? W-what should I do? W-would things change? Would he still need me? W-what if Kami Onii-sama don't want me anymore? -do I have to find a new partner?

W-would I have to leave the house? Would he hate me for being around? Would Ayumi-chan dislike me? W-what if-'

Elsi was silenced when Haqua placed one hand over Elsi's mouth and the older devil looked around, especially at the door where she knew the others were before slowly guiding her from the corridor to out of the store itself.

So that was what Elsi was worried about, Ayumi going out with Keima.

Unfortunately for the two of them, even she knew that Ayumi was the one that was the most likely to have been accepted by Keima and thus being matched up to be Keima's partner.

That was a fact that was known to them and from her earlier conversation with Chihiro, it was highly likely... no, it was the only reason that might have allowed Ayumi to bounce back from her previous mental state.

'Calm down, take deep breaths now, Elsi... deep breaths... that's a good girl.'

It bought Haqua some time to think about what she could possibly say to make Elsi feel better. Perhaps she could say that it was not happening? No, that would just be cruel to her friend... what if she said that Keima wouldn't abandon her?

It would work... but it would be going back to square one, wasn't it?

Then... Haqua could only have one way forward, wouldn't she? As what Keima had said to her before, the only choice in front of her would be... denial. That was the only thing that she could do to buy time as well as reassuring Elsi.

'Keima wouldn't do that. Have you seen how hard he was staring at you earlier, Elsi? He was practically drooling when he saw you in that new dress.'

It was partly true, Keima was staring as though he was in shock, something which was rare and Haqua had congratulated Elsi in choosing that particular outfit, causing the demon to blush in gratitude.

She had to build up her confidence before she demanded the truth from Keima, only then can Elsi rest easy. Who knew that Elsi would be so affected... well, Haqua should but since she didn't, she would have to make up for it somehow.

'And Elsi, if Ayumi-chan was indeed going out with him, you would know right? He would at least tell you... so don't worry about it, the two of them are not going out together.'

'R-really? I... I thought...'

'I'll help you ask him later, I promise, Elsi.'

'R-really? T-thank you, Haqua!'

Smiling in thanks, Elsi hugged her friend tightly while Haqua merely petted her back awkwardly. Now this was really awkward if she was unable to get some results.

'I promise I'll find out the truth, so just wait a while more, kay, Elsi?'

..

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**Author's Notes: Right, New poll is up! Do vote!**


	54. Reflections

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 54: Reflections**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Well, both _Kaiser Dude_ and I were busy this few weeks, mostly him, but in my defense I was busy too. Updates will be slow this month, a pretty bad month for me so, please be patient. As usual, thank you for the beta-edit, Kaiser Dude!**

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It was a long night and it was about to get longer as Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** helped the girls out of the Karaoke Box and onto the streets.

The girls weren't supposed to be drinking, but somehow along the way an alcoholic drink magically appeared in Miyako's hands and unfortunately with her low tolerance for alcohol, she quickly got over-excited as well as overly-exaggerated with her actions that Keima had to intervene to stop the situation from going out of hand.

Was he being over-protective? Not really as when one was considering how Miyako was babbling about the King's-Game and how the loser has to rest her head on Keima's lap, it was all about protection.

It was even more exasperating when some of the girls seemed willing to accept that 'punishment' and it was then that Keima decided to draw the line and pulled all of the girls out by force, saying that it was getting late and it would be dangerous to have Miyako in this intoxicated state.

The girl was still clinging on to Keima's arm despite his attempts to pull her off and Keima felt his last nerve being slowly but surely grinding down to nothing as Miyako continued to drawl out.

'Neh~~~ Katsuragi-kun, why are you still so uptight? It's just a game right? We should be having fun~~'

Giggling like a teenage school girl, wait, she IS a teenage school girl, Miyako staggered forward a few steps while Keima just looked to the side, knowing that they were making quite a scene and him being unable to do anything was really frustrating him.

'Ayumi-chan~~ C'mere~~'

Waving at Ayumi, who was keeping a safe distance away, speaking with Chihiro about how and who should bring her back, the athletic girl blinked in surprise before slowly walking over to Miyako.

She was right to be nervous; earlier on Miyako had made the girl sit on Keima's lap amongst the chaos. It probably was accomplished through careful manipulation of Ayumi's position followed by a gentle nudge or an outstretched foot to make that happen.

Ayumi had turned bright red and in her hurry to get away from Keima, had spilled her cup of juice over Keima's pants, causing more drama to develop when she tried to clean it up for him.

All in all, a very chaotic and yet, 'interesting' outing with the girls.

..

'Yes, Miyako-chan?'

Speaking nervously, Miyako urged Ayumi to come closer to her before whispering something into her ear, causing the girl to turn pink again, shooting a nervous look at Keima before telling Miyako to stop teasing her like that.

'Eheh... of course, perhaps I was lying... a little.'

Who knew what Miyako was talking about really, at least the Author doesn't know...

'Alright, that's enough... that's enough.'

Forcing herself through and putting herself between Keima and Miyako, Haqua pulled Keima's hands as well as Miyako's arm while declaring the end of today's celebration and reminded everyone that they would have to meet up for a practise tomorrow, one last practise before the actual gig on Wednesday Night.

'I'll bring Miyako-chan back home, you're coming too, Keima, I don't want to explain this to her parents...'

Pulling Keima with her, Haqua made it clear that the boy could not refuse her while the other girls nodded in agreement.

'Take care of Miyako-chan for us, Haqua! Let's go back, Ayumi... I'm beat.'

Stretching as she petted the girl on the shoulders, Chihiro tugged at Ayumi and the two of them bowed to everyone before heading off.

Elsi seemed reluctant for a moment but after seeing Haqua's wink and an encouraging smile from her, Elsi made her leave too, heading off by her own only to fly off towards her own home after she got sufficient cover from prying eyes.

Watching all of them leave, Haqua sighed before tugging Keima on the sleeve and the two of them headed off towards the direction of Miyako's home, at the other end of the town.

..

'You will help me get home later on... right?'

Keima asked with a desperate tone to his voice and he groaned when Haqua grinned mischievously and teased him with a 'Maybe'.

* * *

..

..

Helping Miyako back home wasn't the problem, the root of the problem was how Haqua stopped Keima when they reached a relatively empty street and eased the drunken girl off his shoulders and confronted Keima with a skeptical look on her face.

'All you need to do is to answer me honestly for once, Keima.'

She spoke with an urgency that was warranted as Miyako's face was a little green, she was probably feeling more than just a little sick and Keima nodded his head apprehensively.

'That would of course-'

'Depend on what I am asking, I know that, you told me that before... but this time I just want a straight answer, it's a simple 'Yes' 'No' problem... so I expect a good and simple answer.'

Seeing him nod sceptically, Haqua spoke her mind and fulfilled her promise to Elsi by asking whether Keima was indeed going out with Ayumi.

Her question made Miyako react a little, she raising her head briefly before dropping back down on Haqua's shoulder with a weak groan.

Even if Miyako was indeed conscious and capable of remembering this particular conversation, Miyako already knew the truth and of course Keima's answer as he shook his head in answer to Haqua.

'I'm not... she did confess to me, but I did not give her a definite answer. In that sense, we are not going out.'

Of course there was a loophole there somewhere and that somewhere was obvious to Haqua as she narrowed her eyes while jabbing her finger into Keima's chest.

'So that just means you didn't reject her or accept her, right? You're just avoiding the problem Keima, you will have to give her a definite answer eventually... it's just a matter of time.'

Keima found it a little frustrating and heartening that Haqua was really adapting and gaining experience from her interaction with him. However, it remains to be seen whether it would benefit him or will actually hurt his chances of implementing his plan for the girls.

Having one unexpectedly sharp individual amongst the group (Terada Miyako) had been troubling and for him and if Haqua decided against assisting him, it would be even more difficult to pull of his last gambit to have a 'good ending' of sorts.

..

'I will, but not until the Mai-High Festival itself. Yes, I do understand the consequences of letting them wait so long for my answer, it is unfair to them to wait so long but due to the circumstances, I do not have any other option left.'

Before Haqua could say a word or to comment on him being such a jerk, Keima threw the same question to Haqua's court and asked her if there was really a better solution to this dilemma.

'Is it even feasible for me to go out with any one of the girls at all, Haqua? Let us assume that it was possible to go out with one of them, who should I pick then?'

Haqua was an individual who knew of her past with the other girls, especially his previously 'captured' targets like Ayumi and Chihiro and thus Keima could ask her that question confidently knowing that she could judge the situation in the same point of view he was looking at.

'erm...'

Scratching her head as she did try to look at the situation objectively in his point of view, Haqua was flustered when Keima said that she could consider herself as well.

..

'Why would I do that in the first place?'

'As you are the most neutral party among all of the girls beside Miyako.'

Giving the mentioned girl a sidelong glance to ensure that she was still out of it, Keima pointed out that going out with Elsi was impossible.

'To the views of others, we are siblings that are related by blood and this fact would never be changed... as such, keeping the status quo would be ideal.'

Keima did not know how complicated Haqua's feelings were in hearing that from him and she wondered how could she put it to the innocent little devil delicately without hurting her feelings in some way...

'That said, I cannot depend on Elsi forever to keep the girls away... unfortunately throughout my interaction with the girls to find the truth and even after I have obtained one 'truth'... I have indeed 'captured' most of the girls in the group in some way or another. Their affection level to me could be near completion or at the maximum level... it is very unfortunate but that is the bare facts.'

Keima sighed along with Haqua as the demon could relate and understand what he was feeling right now, ordinarily one wouldn't be upset at someone being popular or liked but it was disastrous for Keima as all of the girls wanted more just friendship between them and him.

'Thus, the most ideal situation would be for me to accept another person that was neutral and was not affiliated with them in any way, you and Miyako as I had raised earlier.'

'But we are not neutral, are we? We... are part of the band after all... so why would we be considered neutral? They would get disappointed that you choose use over them after all. Girls can hold grudges, Keima.'

She is a girl too and by default, one of them so Haqua knew what and how love can drive a person to do crazy things.

'That is accurate, however, the two of you would have no 'links' with me from the past and in that sense could be totally innocent if I somehow managed to fall for one of you during the process of the time we spent together.'

Keima had to actually look away to avoid looking awkward as Haqua stopped walking for a few seconds to digest that fact.

'W-wait a minute? W-what? What? This is all that you can come up with? Trying to blame it all on the girl? I just lost respect for you, Keima, I am disappointed with you...'

Haqua groaned weakly but in all of honesty, the girl was actually trying hard not to laugh at how pathetic Keima's excuse was.

What was even sadder was that Haqua could not find any reason at all to refute what Keima had said nor could she find a better solution for Keima.

..

..

'I'm sorry...'

Haqua apologized for what she said earlier as Keima seemed to be a little offended by her insensitive outburst.

'You're probably right... I can't think of a better way for you to_ not_ be a jerk... it's hard...'

'It does not matter, I am resigned to that fact... that although I am called a saviour by some... I will forever be one who breaks the heart of the same people that I save.'

There was a resigned and sad smile on Keima's face as they walked silently down the streets.

Perhaps if Keima was allowed to say that to the girls, to explain why he could not accept all of their feelings, it would be better for them and for him.

But of course that was just wishful thinking on Haqua's part; the both of them would forever have to live with the curse and the burden of being unable to be recognized publicly for their efforts.

Their jobs and role will forever be shrouded in the shadows as they are keeping the balance of the world, a task that was handed to them by others who have caused it in the first place.

Tied down to this role without being given a choice... no, Haqua was given a choice but did she consider the implications of what she would be doing before meeting Keima? She probably didn't.

..

'I'm sorry...'

'You shouldn't be. I was the one who made the mistake in signing the contract. Ultimately I'm the cause of all this and there was no reason for me to hate you or Elsi for that.'

A pause but Keima definitely, no, he surely smiled when he looked away from Haqua.

'It is my fault. I am the stubborn one who desires a perfect ending. If I could just have the courage to hurt one of them... it would not be so painful. However...'

Haqua knew she shouldn't say a word, this was a rare glimpse into the boy named Katsuragi Keima, the being that they called the **Capturing God** and who knew when she would get the same opportunity again.

'It would hurt even more if I dismissed and quash their dreams like that. That is something that I am certain of... so I would have to bear this burden on my own, as I am the only one that can give them the answer they are wishing for.'

A mature outlook at the situation and Haqua found that the boy had really matured throughout this whole ordeal and the demon girl smiled before nodding her head.

'Thank you, Keima, that meant a lot to me... and to Elsi too.'

Haqua wasn't sure if Keima really did manage to catch her mumbled words but she supposed that it really didn't matter whether he did. He belonged in a different world after all, someone who was above her, someone who considered things in ways that she could not imagine being.

What was the world like for Katsuragi Keima? A question that would definitely be raised again in the future.

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It was late at night before Keima returned home with Haqua in tow, the other girl yawning in drowsiness as she greeted Maria, who looked surprised but not too mad at the two of them returning so late.

Still, Maria did nag at Keima a little for letting her little sister returning home by herself at night.

'You should have asked someone to take her back too... I know you were worried about your friend...'

Maria pursed her lips when Haqua defended Keima, telling her that she was the one who wanted Keima to go with her and besides, Elsi was safe with her other friends till they the intersection.

'Well, I suppose it's fine then... but next time, Keima, call first, okay? I was so worried when Elsi came home alone.'

Maria smiled nonetheless as she welcomed the two of them in, offering Haqua a bed for the night.

'No, it's okay, thank you for the offer but I should be going back now.'

'You won't, you will stay with us tonight. You can pick up a new set of clothes from your home tomorrow. It's too late to be going back alone now.'

With Maria's insistence, Haqua was promptly whisked off to change while Keima just sighed as he turned on his PFP for the first time after school ended.

There were numerous emails waiting for him but the most urgent one came from a person that he was still feeling very conflicted about, Nakagawa Kanon.

It looks like this long day wasn't over by a long shot yet.

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It was the next day, Tuesday in fact when the girls met again in class, most of them with dark circles around their eyes as they yawned while slouching over their tables, their instruments neatly tucked below their desks or behind the classroom so as to not cause any inconvenience to the rest of the students.

Miyako was the most energetic out of all of them, to the surprise of all of the girls as she had seemed none the worse for the wear after her drunken antics.

Or was she really drunk? No one really wanted to know as they chatted about what happened last night together.

For a change, Keima wasn't in the classroom and so the girls had time to speak about 'girl' stuff, if one knows what that means, truthfully it really wasn't anything different from normal conversation. They were just able to talk more openly, that's all.

'Say, where's Katsuragi-kun?'

Asking the question that Elsi was avoiding, Miyako blinked in confusion as Elsi explained that Keima had rushed off upon reading an email on his PFP. She really wasn't sure what happened but it must be important for him to actually run out of the door instead of walking like he usually does.

'I see... I hope he'll come down to hear us practise though! I downloaded the song that he wanted us to use and it was really cool! I really liked it!'

The girls had only went through the lyrics and they did not know how the original song was like and they all crowded around Miyako's desk as she played the song, albeit a little softly so that it could remain a secret from some of their classmates.

All of them were really like mini-celebrities now and they had to wave back at students who shouted encouragement at them, people they did not even know, people who wanted to ask them how they did it as well as people who were simply a little mean to them.

But their fame couldn't compare to the person who stepped into the class, Nakagawa Kanon as the class immediately turned as one towards the pink haired idol who stepped into the class shyly.

The stunned silence at her arrival was broken by a single pen being dropped to the floor; Katsuragi Elsi had lost her grip on her pen when she saw who it was accompanying Kanon as she smiled and waved to the person before heading to her desk.

Katsuragi Keima, he was the one who accompanied her to class and judging by the gasps that echoed around the classroom, they weren't the only one that found it shocking or surprising.

The situation was worsened when Kanon suddenly ran back to Keima and whispered something into his ear while passing something into his hand, causing the both of them to turn slightly red before they finally separated, Kanon returning to her desk while Keima trudging back to his seat slowly, avoiding everyone's looks and stares before going back to his seat.

An awkward silence followed their arrival which was only broken when the bell rang and everyone went back to their seats, discussing amongst each other about this development.

..

..

The Otamegane with the Idol! What an unexpected turn of events.

There were a few individuals in class who weren't as affected as they were shattered.

Elsi looked like the world had ended and her soul had being sucked out of her.

Ayumi was still in shock and she was hugging her school bag in a bid to steady herself while Chihiro was just frowning and mumbling to herself quietly.

Amongst the 2B Pencils, Terada Miyako was the only who was still in 'it', so to speak as she quickly sent a couple of mails over to an associate of hers, someone who would definitely be interested and disturbed by the turn of events.

'So... that is the emergency that he has to take care of...'

Miyako whispered to herself but it seemed to only agitated or upset Elsi further as she buried her head with her arms and sobbed softly to herself.

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**Author's Notes: Dun Dun dunn! Review please!**


	55. Speculations

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 55: Speculations**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well.**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Work is tough for me and my beta-reader so be patient! Thank youKaiser Dude for the beta as always!**

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One can really hear a pin drop in the room as homeroom started. Everyone was interested in finding out what was going on between the Otamegane and Nakagawa Kanon. One could say that the latter was positively beaming with joy and radiance, making others literally flinch away from her at seeing her in such a good mood.

Even her most loyal fans were scandalized or at least, unable to accept such a fact as they whispered to each other in the distance while Kanon was unpacking her bag, which was handed to her by Keima.

One can imagine the Otamegane to be 'hired' by Kanon to help her just like how Aoyama Mio and Kukyo Tsukiyo did during their periods of 'unrest'.

The facts and info on why they ask the Otamegane to help was lost in time (due to the memory modification) and due to the lack of sources close to those two girls, Aoyama didn't have many friends and Tsukiyo was similar in that aspect, one can only speculate that there was some useful knowledge or skill that the Otamegane was good in.

Majority of the people in school would like to just dismiss it the issue and claim that the two girls just paid him to do their legwork for them but in the same time, that didn't make sense as well.

Why would he, the Otamegane who carried himself with so much pride, stoop so low that he had to be bribed by the prospect of money to do the whims of another person?  
No, it had to be something that he was willing to do willingly as the physical labors that he did for the two girls were things that he would never usually do.

..

So why would Nakagawa Kanon ask the Otamegane to help her in whatever things that she needed help with? A small minority of her fan base was insulted and upset that she would not ask them for help and instead went to ask someone as despicable as the Otamegane.

Yes, perhaps they themselves were too full of it but any one of the fans would do anything, almost anything to give Kanon a helping hand.

Still, in the end it was her choice after all and the majority of the fan base found themselves eventually accepting this turn of events. It was Kanon's life and even if they were to be vocal about it, if Kanon really wanted that person to be with her, it was her choice to make, not theirs to decide.

Sure, they'll have to confront the Otamegane at some point to demand some answers but they decided as a whole to back off and to observe the situation, at least when Kanon is around. The last thing that they want to do at this point was to upset their favorite idol too much.

..

The situation was further compounded with the other party being the Otamegane. Besides his sister Elsi and some of the girls in his class(shockingly so), he has practically no outside contact, no circle of friends and he was an expert in keeping his mouth shut, his opinions to himself and generally was avoiding, evading and perhaps ignoring all questions that could actually help the situation.

Making it worse was how he was still actively the acting manager of the 2B Pencils, the Light Music Club has quite an amount of followers now and they view the change as shocking, almost as if it was betrayal only for them to be appeased when there was an update on the Girl band's status after lunch break, Keima finding time to upload, edit and to re-master their debut performance at the club within one night.

Surely he was still being 'loyal' to the band, right?

Still, there were many questions to be asked and just as many of them to be answered as the school bell rang, signaling the end of a very long day at school.

* * *

..

..

One cannot say that Elsi or any of the girls was not trying to find some answers; they were just not successful with their questions.

Keima had found ways to avoid their questions, distracting them with more research on their potential rivals or showing them the comments that he pulled from their youtube account. It was enough to make the situation fishier than usual and the girls were preparing for the worst during lunch break, that Keima would spend time with Kanon instead.

Surprisingly though, he went with the girls, his head in the clouds until Haqua joined them. Haqua does seem to have different personalities, she behaved differently whenever she's around Elsi or Keima and it was the same in this scenario as she seemed to be really hesitant about joining them till Keima spoke up out of a blue.

'Haqua. We need to talk.'

After seeing that hesitant nod from Haqua, the two of them headed off even as Elsi seemed distinctively more uncomfortable after seeing Haqua bowing in apology to her best friend.

Elsi felt like she was being abandoned by Keima, rejected in lieu of Haqua and she couldn't help but feel very hurt as she played with her hands in disappointment. The **Capturing God** really couldn't depend on a useless demon like her after all...

Noticing her plight, Ayumi and Miyako gathered around Elsi to try and cheer her up even as Chihiro narrowed her eyes suspiciously in the direction that Keima and Haqua retreated to in the distance, straining her ears to try and listen to what they were talking about, serious expressions on their face as they spoke freely together.

..  
..

_'So, are you going out with Kanon?'_

_Keima was relieved and suspicious at how easily Haqua was taking the situation and the saying: 'The calm before the storm' popped into his mind immediately as he shook his head to answer the girl._

_'No, I'm not... but the situation has gotten more serious, much more serious than I had anticipated. In some aspect, I have failed completely. Things have gone out of my control and for that, I apologize... it seems likely that there would need to be adjustments.'_

_Keima spoke briskly as Haqua relaxed somewhat at his reply. Although it was worrying that Keima said that he failed, Haqua knew that Keima wouldn't take defeat well and there would be backup plans or at least solutions that he would surely offer soon._

_It was more detrimental for the first question to be answered truthfully and as it seemed to be the truth, Haqua could breathe easier while she asked the million dollar question._

_'So what happened? Everyone was talking about how you are going out with Kanon... I'm surprised that the media haven't mobbed you yet.'_

_With an exasperated smile on her face, Haqua blinked in surprise when Keima simply nodded his head while explaining._

_'It could be inferred as such but I have to stress that I am not going out with Kanon... I was offered the position of assisting Kanon... as an assistant manager.'_

_For a moment Haqua was unable to say a single word, the mere possibility of that was almost nil. An inexperienced individual like Keima helping with an internationally recognized Idol? It was incredulous from the get-go but why does Haqua find that quite fitting and well within Keima's ability?_

_He has managed to bring an unknown girl band to the spotlight in the entire city and perhaps to some extent the country even with his super effective advertising, coaching and encouragement techniques._

_Perhaps the girls do have the potential to be real musicians in the first place but without Keima, would their ability and talent reach this height? Haqua didn't think so... but for him to be recognized for that so earlier and so soon seemed too much like a dream and she called him out on that._

.. 

_'It's impossible, no one can get that lucky... did you ask Kanon for that position? I didn't know you... were handling Kanon as well...'_

_That was a white lie, Haqua knew exactly who retained their memories of their 'capture' and Nakagawa Kanon was one of them that stood out due to her personal bio and her status and thus Haqua was really surprised when Keima choose to help and investigate the three girls first._

_In Keima's point of view, Kanon was perhaps the hardest heroine to capture on paper but in reality she was perhaps the easiest to actually re-capture due to her strong feelings for Keima even after her memory was modified._

_One can say that her 'Flags' have carried over successfully to a New Game+ and it was a constant worry for Keima till this bombshell was dropped to him._

_'I thought I had handled her... but her manager has other ideas.'_

_Taking a deep breath, Keima pulled out his PFP and clicked to the page he had opened up earlier, it showed the picture of Kanon's manager. A no-nonsense woman that was quite generic looking if not for her piercing eyes that seemed to look through everyone else._

_'She knows... she knows that Elsi and I are not related by blood.'_

_It was news to Haqua and the demon girl blinked in confusion before saying that it was impossible, New Hell had made sure that they created sufficient history for Elsi to pass off as such._

_'New Hell isn't as efficient or as throughout as you would like to be, Haqua... she checked up with both my mother and my father's side... there had been no other registered births in the Katsuragi Family in my father's records... not to mention that her blood type is totally different from my family's... _

_well, it would be the same now but it is technically impossible for the two of us to be related by blood and still be brothers and sisters as we would need to be non-identical twins and that is impossible too due to our birth dates... It's a discrepancy that has never been addressed but I'm sure that New Hell did some manipulations for others to refrain from asking questions. Looking objectively at the situation, one can naturally surmise that our relationship... is different.'_

_Nodding her head at Keima's speech, Haqua admitted that it was indeed a lack of foresight that resulted in the current situation but there were still lingering protests that were on her mind._

_'But what has that got to do with the current situation? We could simply modify the manager's memory as well, right? We could do that and there won't be any problems.'_

_Haqua smiled at her easy solution but Keima shook his head and said that it was impossible._

_'What we are dealing with are... discrepancies in the system, errors, glitches and most importantly... considered illegal and possible treason in New Hell... if we make the wrong step, we could expose New Hell or at the minimum, alert them of our actions. _

_It was all thanks to you, Haqua, that we were able to contain the damage and limit the fallout... but if you continued to abuse your powers as district chief, it would only cause more attention to be drawn to you... I suspect that some have begun to question why you decided to transfer into the school in the first place... It would be best if we deal with it without using your powers if possible.'_

_Haqua turned a little red and she played with her hands involuntarily in embarrassment at Keima's well thought out words. He really did care for her, not wanting her to get in trouble... or really just wanted to avoid the potential backlash that he would get hit by if something happened. Either way, Keima was still looking way ahead of her and considered everyone beside himself, that was something to be grateful for._

_'So what did the manager want?'_

_'She wanted me to stay by Kanon's side in exchange for keeping her lips sealed. It's an underhanded method but seeing that I flatly turned down all attempts from her to negotiate, I am partially at fault as well... I did not expect her to have such a card in her hand... in the future she would surely find a way to flaunt this card... but for the present, simply keeping Kanon company is a small price to pay...'_

_Sighing, Keima recalled exactly what was the exchange that they two of them had between each other in front of the school gates after he had read her email._

_He should have probably denied meeting her or at least, ignore the message totally... but what would come, would come after all._

* * *

..

.. 

'Good morning, Katsuragi.'

Kanon's manager was waiting coolly for her and Keima raised an eyebrow at seeing her there. So she had used Kanon's phone to mail him and Keima found himself a little confused at the situation.

This chapter was over, the chapter where he would have to confront or meet with Kanon's family/manager was over... and even if it wasn't over, the confrontation between him and the ones closest to Kanon shouldn't materialize as he had stalled the 'event' with Kanon a few days earlier.

So why was this character, a character that was introduced and subsequently forgotten, reappearing in the main story?

'Good Morning...Ms...'

'Okada, Tomoe Okada... I never introduced myself before, did I? I'm sorry for taking your time, but I hope that you would take a few minutes of your time to speak with me.'

Keima studied the woman for a moment, she straightening up while looking at him. She was still wearing her black tinted sunglasses and Keima knew that she did that to keep some of her cards in her hands without showing them.

One can always pick out one's emotions on their face and despite Keima priding himself in having a poker face, he could not stop involuntary movements that might give away her inner emotions.

With a pair of sunglasses to block out most of one's face, it was easy to hide one's emotions to the other person and subsequently, lead the other party to commit to things they might want to with some skillful manipulation.

In short, something that put Keima in a distinct disadvantage even as he tried to size up the situation accurately.

'I'm sure that your time is more precious than mine... after all, what use is a High School Student's time compared to the Manager of a Top Idol... I apologize for taking your time.'

Making his tone as neutral and flat as possible, Keima did manage to sound sincere while simultaneously having a good jab at the woman in front of her.

'Hmm, sharp but polite... that's good... it's something one should always have when dealing with the media... I'm impressed Katsuragi... very impressed even.'

She smiled in praise towards the boy and Keima found himself a little rattled at how the woman was appraising her and he had to fight a flight or fight reflex to keep himself there. It's odd that he could feel and sense warning bells just from her presence and Keima could compare her to Nikaido Yuri in terms of pure threatening aura.

Only this woman, Tomoe Okada, did not have that obvious malicious intent, instead the woman was keeping her true intentions hidden and try as he might, Keima admitted that she was much better than him in concealing what she was feeling inside.

..

'I'm afraid that school is about to start... so if you have something to say to me, please do hurry...'

'Hmm? Don't you have questions for me? Like perhaps why I called you here?'

'You called me here as you wished to speak to me. That is enough of an explanation for me... although I must say that using Kanon's phone to call me out is underhanded...'

Closing his eyes briefly as he sighed, Keima opened his eyes only to see Ms. Okada looking at him closely, pulling down her sunglasses to study him closely as he took a few steps backwards at how close she was getting. What does this woman want?

'Hmm? Perhaps it is underhanded but I do wish to talk to you... no, I wish to offer you a proposal.'

Crossing her arms in an authoritative fashion Okada smiled as she pulled out a piece of paper and handed it to Keima, who took it suspiciously before waiting to see if she would explain herself.

'Your accomplishments and talent have not been ignored, honestly... I'm quite impressed that a high school student could have achieved so much, especially when... this is your first attempt at doing anything.'

Keima found that remark to be a little confusing, what did she mean by that and he stayed silent as she continued.

'I've done some research on you, Katsuragi Keima... I hope that you do not mind. Anyone who is close to Kanon would have to be... screened, especially if he is someone close to her... As you might know, the last thing that we want to happen is to have a scandal just when her career is reaching a high. Her image is important, I'm sure that you understand that.'

Keima simply nodded in agreement, that was something that Keima has stressed to the 2B Pencils so much that he was repeating himself. So he was being checked up on just because he was close to Kanon? He wondered what kind of information she was interested in... surely not his family members?

The last time he had seen this woman was when she was invited to dinner together with Kanon and he had snapped at her for upsetting Elsi , one of the few times that he had actually lost control... she couldn't still be nursing that grudge could she?

..

'I'm glad that you're so understanding... Oh right, I've not explained what that is.'

Gesturing to the paper in Keima's hands, Okada explained that it was a contract, a contract between Keima and the company that was managing Kanon.

'Kanon she... is motivated by you. That is a fact that I have to admit... whenever she talks about this certain person that she wrote her new song for, she gets that look in her eyes that I've never seen before. I know that song, 'Koi no Shirushi' was written with you in mind, Katsuragi... and it is pointless to tell her that she must stop seeing you... so I'm offering the next best thing, I want you to help me manage Kanon, help her with her practices, scheduling interviews, itineraries as well as with her classwork... this is something that I believe will benefit all of us, Kanon and the both of us. What do you think, Katsuragi?'

She seemed pleased by herself for coming to such a conclusion and Keima grudgingly admitted that it was true. This was perhaps the most simplest and elegant solution to the situation.

Kanon would not doubt try to conceal her feelings or her relationship with him, an undesirable person to be seen with her... but now that he was publicly known as the 2B Pencils' manager and quite a good one at that, his stock value has increased tremendously. She must be taking advantage of that to kill two birds with one stone... but this was something that he cannot agree to.

'I apologize but I have to decline your kind offer. I have other... commitments that I have to honor now...'

Bowing to her in apology, Keima nodded as Okada asked whether it was the 2B Pencils that was causing him to refuse such an offer. No one in their right mind would refuse such an offer after all.

'Unfortunately, you must accept this, lest the relationship between you and your sister is revealed through undisclosed methods.'

Keima's thought processes grounded to a halt, almost at least as he quickly picked up on what she meant and he coolly asked her.

'Is that a threat or an order, Ms. Tomoe.'

A slight edge could be detected where there wasn't before and Okada picked up on that simply from her smile Keima knew that the woman knew that she got him right where she wanted him to be, at least for now.

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Yes, I'm aware that there are so many similar names like** **Adachi or** **Tomoe but my mind went blank so I just went with that. Oh right, Okada IS legitimate though...**


	56. Being Just Friends

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 56: Being just Friends **

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

Additional Notes: It's stated in Canon that Kanon's manager is Okada, I used Tomoe for some weird reason.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Kaiser Dude is busy with his school work so I need a FRESH BETA-READER. APPLY NOW OR UPDATES WILL BE SUPER SLOW**

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..

..

Haqua was silent as Keima finished telling her about what the manager, Tomoe Okada said and she asked Keima why he would even bother to entertain her when she was obviously threatening him.

'A-anyway, if you just tell Kanon what happened she could do something about it right?'

'Yes and this would result in the whole school and the whole world knowing that Elsi is an illegitimate daughter of the Katsuragi household... Image is the key, Haqua... Image... just like how Okada wishes to keep and retain Kanon's image, it is my job and responsibility to keep Elsi's image... not to mention her peace of mind. Right now, she's very stressed out, Haqua...'

Showing genuine concern for Elsi, a rare occurrence for Keima made Haqua back off somewhat as she hid a small lonely smile by coughing once.

'Glad to see you noticed, Keima... and yes, she's stressed out... but it's all your fault you know... all your fault.'

Haqua ended lamely by hitting Keima on the chest before she straightened her back and continued.

'So you mean to say that... whatever that is stressing Elsi out could not be compared to the rest of us knowing that Elsi isn't your real sister?'

'Precisely, I'm glad you caught up with us, Haqua...'

Rolling his eyes somewhat as Haqua frowned, Keima waited for Haqua to continue with her reasoning as he listened.

'Considering that some of them still think that they have a shot in being your girlfriend... knowing that Elsi isn't blood related would be a shock... especially when some of them know... what is going on right now.'

Haqua had to choose her words carefully as she wasn't sure that Keima understood what was going on behind the scenes, veiled between every action and motivation that Elsi has currently.

She knew that Keima was genre savvy enough to pick up many hints about what was going on, not to mention that he said that he knew what was going on.

But what did he know and how could he fix it was the key question! Haqua would have tried to fix it herself if she knew how but that was impossible for her. The solution as well as the problem existed with him after all... and it was his job to clean up his own mess if he was the one that caused all of this.

..

It could be called an intricate balancing act where Keima had to balance all of his charges with two hands, not letting the contents of either hand touch each other at all times. In one hand was Kanon and her baggage and the other was the 2B Pencils... and with the stakes raised once again with Kanon, it was getting more and more difficult to ensure the two of them do not meet head on.

The situation could not have came in a worse time as they were preparing for their debut performance as it was an extremely sensitive topic that would weigh heavily on the girl's minds.

'Haqua.'

'Ah, yes... yes?'

Nodding to show that she was still with him, Haqua blinked in confusion when he asked her if she thought she was ready.

'Ready for... what, Keima? Oh no... Oh no, I'm not going to help again... I'm working over time as it is, Keima... I don't have the time...'

It was the truth, Haqua still had tons to do besides her responsibility as the district chief, she still has to check the surveillance videos of that video game shop and to keep up her duties with Yukie... it was enough for even a genius like her to want a vacation right now.

'Perhaps I should call in sick, huh?'

Muttering to herself, Haqua shook her head when Keima suddenly nodded in agreement.

'You are accurate, I should not burden you with the responsibility... but I would still like one favor from you...'

'A small one, that's all...'

She couldn't refuse him after all, what a twisted life that she was living...

'Stay with them, stay with the four of them. That's all I'm asking...'

It sounded like some sort of farewell to Haqua and it was all but proven when a wistful smile appeared on Keima's face as he walked back to the girls that were waiting for him.

He was so NOT cool when he said that, Haqua decided as she followed him to meet up with the rest of the girls.

* * *

..

..

'Kanon asked me for help, that's all.'

Keima stated matter-of-factedly out of the blue as he girls were unpacking their stuff and although that answered some of their questions, the girls wanted more only for Keima to shake his head and say that was a private matter between the two of them.

'It is something between the two of us... It is a promise that I made to her and I would appreciate it if you would not ask more.'

A reasonable request, most of it any way and the girls backed off with the exception of Elsi, who asked him if he would be helping Kanon with her music.

The girl was sharp and sharper than what Keima had gave her credit for and it made Haqua smile in satisfaction while wondering how Elsi could have guessed.'

'Why would you say that, Elsi...'

Keima asked her patiently while helping Miyako set up her keyboard, knowing full well that everyone was paying close attention to this conversation that he felt quite pressured.

'… Well, Kanon-chan did pass Kami-Onii-sama a CD... so perhaps Kanon-chan wanted some advice too.'

Elsi wasn't stumbling over her words and she seemed quite confident in her statement as she was probably the only one who paid close enough attention to Keima to notice what Kanon had slipped to Keima before she went back to her seat.

The pink haired idol disappeared like the wind immediately after class, but not before speaking with Keima briefly in the corridor, causing the situation to intensify especially when Kanon spoke aloud that she would see him tomorrow.

It would be enough to crush Elsi ordinarily and Haqua was very impressed by her resolve this time around.

'Yes, she did... she wanted me to comment on her new song...'

Keima's tone hinted that was enough for today and the girls backed off completely this time as the revelation of what he was helping Kanon with was enough for now and the girls started to practise with Keima supervising all of them.

...

..

'That's not quite it...'

Keima mentioned to Haqua and Chihiro as they tried the duet again and he frowned when the two girls seemed to have difficulty finding the right timing and beat for each other and he suggested that the two girls go to a corner to practise with each other first.

'Both of you are supporting each other but in a duet, the two of you are not just supporting each other. The two of you are supposed to be one, expressing the same thing as one. The two of you have to understand each other a little more and to get used to each other's singing preference...'

It was difficult to explain but they would have to adopt and adapt to each other's pace if they would have to work well together.

As Haqua is always a tad faster and Chihiro a tad slower, the two of them have to... make peace with each other's pace.

Besides working out the kinks with the two singers, Keima tried his best to make Elsi coordinate with Ayumi more. The two girls were... erratic. At times the two of them worked and complemented each other well, especially when they were in the chorus... but at other times they were unable to play in the same pace.

The issue was that Elsi was always a little nervous and she couldn't concentrate even with Haqua and Miyako playing together to help with the beat of the song.

The problem was of course compounded when Ayumi realized that and tried to match with Elsi's erratic play style as well.

'Elsi, you need to relax...'

Keima sighed as the girl lowered her head in shame at being reprimanded like that, Elsi really needs a confidence booster and Keima provided that a little with a small massage, his hands squeezing on Elsi's shoulders like only a big brother can while telling her to just relax and follow Haqua and Miyako's lead while playing or... just follow Ayumi's lead.

'That's not a bad idea...'

Realizing the simple solution, Keima asked the two of them to try just that and to his relief, it did sound much better despite Elsi stumbling a little at trying to follow Ayumi.

That raised another issue and after the girls were allowed a five minute breather, Keima spoke privately with Ayumi on the presence of getting juice for the others.

..

'Ayumi.'

He spoke her name coolly but honestly he was a little nervous as to what her reaction would be. He hadn't rejected her per se but it was a little awkward as the two of them started looking at the vending machine and somehow managed to try and press the same button together, resulting in their hands touching.

It was so clique that he wanted to die from the fluffiness of the situation.

'Yes, Keima-kun?'

Ayumi for her benefit was just as relaxed as he was, perhaps a little too relaxed as she seemed... used to this kind of situation now. Perhaps he really was starring in an animation or movie of some kind to be able to attract such clique scenes to him like a magnet to metal. Odd, but not impossible.

'Do you feel... alright? If you do not wish to perform tomorrow... we could just tell them so... especially so if you need more time.'

His words were chosen on a whim, not with care but as they were sincere, it was good enough as Ayumi played with her hands a little before pushing the same button to buy a can of juice.

'I'm fine... thank you for asking, Keima-kun... I appreciate it, really. I... honestly...'

Mumbling with her words, Ayumi played with the cold can of juice in her hands even as Keima bought more, the sound of aluminium hitting the bottom of the machine ringing in the hallway as they spoke to each other.

'I was afraid that you would... avoid me, after what I said... and... I thought that, I would avoid you too...'

She giggled nervously as she continued.

'I thought... I was afraid that... you would reject me outright... but really I was more afraid of us... not being friends any more... as in, 'friends'... I hope that we can remain friends no matter what...'

Emphasizing that with her hands, Ayumi smiled as Keima just nodded in understanding.

'I wouldn't want the two of us... or Keima-kun and any one of us falling apart just because of something stupid... and reckless... and inconsiderate-'

Keima cut her off by pushing her another drink.

'Your feelings should never be trodden on, it's something special and unique... no one has the right to call any one's feelings for another person to be... stupid.'

It was something that Keima truly believed in. Like the innocence of a child, a person's feelings of affection, of love was unique and no one has the right to take that away from them, verbally or other wise.

Being the **Capturing God** he was aware of the many factors, many things and many sequences that made each 'capture' possible, but each capture could not simply be broken down into those elements... that would be insulting to the 'heroines' as well as the girls that he 'captured'.  
Would it be the same if someone else did the exact same thing he did? No, the emotions that they evoke would be different... and would he get the exact same reaction if he did the same thing all over again?

Probably not... there... are other factors but even if they were to be re-enacted in the exact same way, exact same time and with the exact same person... Keima believed, no, hoped that it would be different.

That can be said to be the beauty of love... One can always fall in love in the same way... that was true... but, Keima wanted to believe, to hope that each time they do... it would be something different... the same way how Ayumi was somehow 'captured' by him.

..

'A-alright... s-so it... isn't something like that... Thank you, Keima-kun... even if I think you're making me feel better.'

'I'm not... that is what I believe in, no, what I live for... even if Ayumi told me that you liked someone else, I would still call it the same way. There is nothing to be ashamed about nor is there anything that you should hate about what you feel... it is something special, that is why we all say that Love is confusing.'

Saying that with a straight face, Keima's response made Ayumi laugh as she nodded in agreement.

'I... think I liked you even more now... did you just try to hit on me, Keima-kun?'

She laughed happily in jest as they made their way back to the clubhouse.

'Please promise me that you won't... leave us?'

'Leave you?'

Keima asked with baited breath as Ayumi nodded.

'We... all of us, like... having Keima-kun around us... you guided us so far and... we all... feel that you're a part of our team, the 2B Pencils... you said that one of the 'S' calls for Sisterhood... but I... and I guess all of us, know that you... are part of us, part of our 'sisterhood' of the 2B Pencils...

We don't want to see you drifting away from us just because of what we do... what we say... or what you have to do to help us. Please...'

She spoke softly as she looked at him seriously.

'You told me not to sacrifice myself for the group, for all of us... and, Keima-kun. You shouldn't too... I think, no, I feel that you're drifting away from us... and I don't know whether it's my fault... it's just that... I feel this way.'

It must be her womanly instincts for her to be so perceptive and Keima wondered if he did something differently today.

'Perhaps I'm worried about Kanon-chan... like... she wants to take you from us... I... hope I'm not imagining things... but... I, I won't... forgive Kanon-chan if that is what she wants.'

Brave words from Takahara Ayumi and Keima lowered his head while smiling grimly.

'I can't promise that.'

It was like a confession to Ayumi but surprisingly Ayumi did not freak out or confront him for that.

'… Because Kanon-chan is... just as important to you... right?'

Keima did not reply to that but Ayumi took that as a yes even as she continued.

'You're just too kind, Keima-kun... but at least... you can say 'No'... at least to me...'

Pouting her mouth, Ayumi seemed to be really taking it better than what Keima had imagined it to be, even if her suspicions was something that he did not confirm verbally, it was all but revealed to the girl in front of her.

That wasn't part of his plan at all... but breaking the news this way to her... was probably better in some aspects.

'But I won't forgive you if you keep me hanging for too long, Keima-kun. You're kind but being too kind... might hurt sometimes too, remember that. This is an advice given to you by a girl, so you have to remember this!'

Of course he'll remember, his whole life revolved around that after all.

* * *

..

..

Returning after her rendezvous with Ayumi, Keima distributed the drinks before ending up to sit with Miyako, the keyboardist and the most perceptive of the group was strangely quiet today and Keima discovered, to his amusement that her hangover finally kicked in when the rest of the girls had mostly recovered.

'… You have a weird metabolism.'

Keima remarked even as Miyako scowled at him while accepting the juice that he passed to her. She wasn't feeling that hot, she was under the weather but she was trying her best to keep up anyway.

Keima wouldn't have noticed if not for the fact that she had admitted it to him anyway and he had to give props to her for hiding her condition.

'If you're tired or sick, you should just rest.'

He stated clearly while sitting beside her, watching the rest of the girls rest as they yawned sleepily while resting. There was hardly any talk as they were probably all still worked up on their performance tomorrow.

There was a tension in the air but it was good tension as the girls were all fired up about their performance tomorrow and wanted to prove to the world, themselves as well as Keima that they can do it!

'We have to practise... right? We have to...'

'No, not if you're sick... we'll call it a day today for all of you to rest and perhaps finish your homework.'

A small grin appeared on his face as he saw Miyako's face pale and some of the girls looking away in guilt.

That settled it, they'll have to do some catching up on their homework if they were to continue to have a club. Who knows what the teachers will say if their grades slipped or their homework were not handed up.

'I'll help you with your homework, all of you... so let's take a breather.'

The girls nodded in unison, obviously happy that the top student of their class would do that and all of them spent quite some time working on their school work, with Keima even lecturing on tomorrow's lesson briefly before they dismissed themselves.

All of them weren't ready physically... but they were ready mentally to do what they were out to achieve tomorrow.

..

'Rest well, all of you... there wouldn't be much time to rest tomorrow.'

Keima reminded all of them as he headed back with Elsi in tow, the younger demon smiling eagerly as she followed Keima, resisting the urge to hold his hand.

'Tomorrow is your debut... your first... and most important performance up till now... let's pray for good weather.'

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**Author's Notes: If there are any errors, we can wait for Kaiser Dude to come back and fix it as I'm super bad with them ;-;**


	57. The Big Day

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 57: The Big Day**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

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Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: _Kaiser dude is _away at the moment with studies so we have _Wolf's Honor_ stepping** **up to the**** plate for the beta-edit!**

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..

Katsuragi Keima knew that his time was limited and that the things that he could do for all of them were running out.

The timer that had begun at the beginning of this nightmare of sorts was ticking down to the inevitable ending of the story and if Keima could give an estimate route completion he would place it at a solid 60%.

The majority of the story has been explored and manipulated by Keima to achieve the most neutral ending so far but he sensed... no, estimated that it was time for the story to reach the climax.

Where there would be a branching path for him to choose from, the issue which would no doubt be raised was which route was he supposed to take.

It would be counter-productive to try to aim for a Harem-based end and it would/could be considered the worst ending he could ever achieve despite the allure of the situation.

Such an ending would not help his case and if he truly wanted that ending, it would be remarkably easy to achieve such an ending having received not one but three confessions.

For those who have forgotten, the three confessions came from:

Haqua: Who admitted that she did in fact had feelings for Keima early. She was naturally rejected soon after that realization before her feelings could develop into something stronger.

Kanon: Who was the first individual to confess to him without putting himself into an active role in her route. She could be said to have her affection level MAXED out even before her route began. Keima left her hanging without an answer as he had to follow the tried and tested rule of being wary of girls who threw themselves at him. With the recent development, that rule had been justified and proven to be accurate.

Ayumi: The most latest in the trio who had confessed to him and despite that, it was the confession that was the most natural and earned by Keima as he had worked relatively hard to trigger most if not of all the flags that was available to him from Ayumi.

Her status was the same as Kanon, him putting his answer on hold indefinitely till the ending was shown to him.

Yes, the **Capturing God** had not 'seen the ending' yet but he was sure it was only a matter of time.

He could see glimpses of what could be the ending, what might be possible for him to reach and just having that possibility was enough to get him determined to achieve it.

The person who was responsible for the current situation was certainly amongst the girls that he had interacted with. She was one of the 'targets', a person who had inside knowledge... but that was not important now.

Even if they were able to catch the culprit, the damage was done... damage control was more crucial now.

..

..

However, it would be extremely difficult to achieve the 'Best' Ending in Real Life due to how the world seemed to work. If it was in the world that he was called **God,** it would be extremely easy, in fact, it would be one of the easiest ending to achieve.

Sadly, the world does not work that way and Keima had to 'earn' that ending the hard way.

'…'

Looking at the pile of paperwork that he has to finish, one of the requirements that he had determined would help in achieving that perfect ending, Keima went back to his research, listing and highlighting the potential rivals that the 2B Pencils had while at the same time taking note of the potential list of songs that the girls themselves might want to perform.

Naturally Keima had finished up all his homework as it was late in the night.

After dismissing the girls and bringing Elsi home with him, he had taken some time to help Elsi with her homework, a gesture that was not left unnoticed by Maria as she had complimented him on it during dinner.

Part of the reason for the sudden change of attitude was to appease the suddenly perceptive Elsi.

Keima had not forgotten the threat that was made to him by Haqua and a part of him did not wish to harm Elsi at all, despite his seemingly harsh treatment towards his sister.

Elsi had surprised Keima by being able to pick up on things that really mattered in crucial moments that she was second only to Miyako in terms of surprising Keima now.

Elsi was... a ticking time bomb and it was something that he agreed with Haqua... her role in the upcoming events not withstanding, he has already seen her 'ending', one can say that it had been obvious from the start.

What would change and develop would be how he handled the bomb that was Elsi.

'That should be all.'

Nodding to himself in satisfaction as he did the last of the research that was required and he pushed it into the binder that he had stuffed full of similar papers.

In a separate binder, Keima hesitated briefly before putting in the list of songs as well as suggested dance-steps into it. It was a gamble and it signified that Keima was putting all his eggs into the basket in front of him as he sealed it with an old-fashioned sticker label.

'….I've done all that I've could. It's up to the girls now.'

Keima spoke to himself before picking up the CD that Kanon passed him and slotting it into the CD player in his room. His work wasn't complete yet, not quite anyway..

It really was going to be a long night for him.

* * *

..

..

'Ohayo, Kami-Onii-sama!'

Smiling as she woke him up, Elsi was unable to mask her surprise at how she was able to wake him up tonight. His room had been unlocked and she had gained access into his room relatively easily as compared to her past attempts.

Yes, Elsi had tried desperately to curry some favours by trying to pop into his room to wake him up with the breakfast that she prepared but in all occasions she was either thwarted by Keima barricading himself in his room or by him waking up before Elsi could 'surprise' him with that.

Perhaps it was Keima's own sense of preservation that made it possible for him to prepare himself for an assault on his senses like that. Whatever the case, Elsi had not succeeded even once and despite all of her setbacks, she had never once gave up on trying to wake Keima up in the morning everyday.

Now that she did indeed succeed, it was a bitter sweet moment for Elsi as she noticed the notes that he had scribbled beside him as he slept on his work table, probably due to overwork.

From the cover of the CD that was placed on top of it, Elsi realized that he had stayed up for Kanon's sake and her smile faltered for a moment before she tugged Keima out of his seat.

'Kami-Onii-sama, you should wash up! Oka-sama is preparing breakfast now and if you don't hurry, we'll be late for school.'

A rather tame response from the naturally cheerful girl and Keima took note of that as he rubbed his eyes sleepily while allowing Elsi to grab his arm firmly.

Odd, if it was a few weeks ago Kema would have shook her off with no hesitation whatsoever but now it just felt alright. Perhaps he had gotten used to it after Kanon had done the exact same thing as they walked down the streets. Come to think of it, Elsi had changed too. The normally shy and easily embarrassed girl seemed to have no problems pushing her body against Keima as she dragged Keima towards the washroom to wash himself up.

Seems like change was indeed in effect. The question now would be, could the gears of change that he initiated be sufficient to salvage the situation.

* * *

..

..

'Good morning!'

Waving energetically at her fellow band mates, Elsi ran over to Chihiro and Ayumi, the two of them waving back as they carried their instruments with them as Keima watched on.

It was the big day for all of them and he had taken time to update their youtube channel as well as website with hints of a live performance by the 2B Pencils and he was gratified to see that there were more than their fair share of likes and follows on their website as well.

'Katsuragi!'

Looking up to see Chihiro and the girls waiting for him at the front gate, Keima merely nodded before putting his PFP away, tucking into his pocket for safekeeping before meeting with the girls and greeting them with a stern nod.

'Morning, Keima-kun.'

Smiling eagerly at him, Ayumi shook her head and pouted while nudging him playfully on the shoulder at the lack of response from him.

'You should say good morning too, Keima-kun!'

Chihiro wasn't about to let that rest too but before she could nudge him as well, all four of them were tackled or headbutted by Miyako who literally leapt into their midsts with a big smile.

'OHAYO! Today is the big night right? I'm so excited!'

She was all smiles and as her smile was as infectious as Elsi's, everyone nodded in excitement at the declaration from Miyako even if they were missing one team member for now.

'Ah, isn't that Haqua-chan?'

Pointing out that missing member as they headed into school, Ayumi frowned in confusion as Haqua was surrounded by a few girls that they recognized as from their junior high.

'What's going on?'

Echoing that question, the girls walked over to investigate while calling Haqua's name.

Keima on the other hand, kept his distance and silently observed them while pulling out his PFP to get a few minutes of gaming done. It was not his business to interfere... it was harsh, but from what he could observe from the distance.

How excited the girls were in speaking to Haqua, the expression that told Keima that Haqua was not uncomfortable and was just unsure how to deal with those girls.

From those observations, Keima could deduce that they were fans of Haqua and the 2B Pencils. What do you think, everyone?

..

In any case, Keima's prediction was accurate as Haqua started to shake hands with one of the girls briefly before scratching his head in embarrassment. Despite her status in New Hell, she was one of the top students of her cohort after all, it seemed that the demon girl still had some problems when she interacts with other people, especially strangers.

_'Ah, Haqua-sama shook hands with me!'_

One of the girls gave a shriek of joy and that made Haqua feel even more embarrassed and she was about to beat a retreat when the other girls surrounded her again, not letting her escape.

_'Please, may I shake your hand too?'_

_'Me too, me too, Haqua-sama!'_

'Ahaha... then...'

Laughing awkwardly, Haqua had no choice but to do that before she promptly made her escape when the other girls called out to her once again.

'Haqua!'

Calling out to her urgently, Elsi smiled in relief as her friend joined their group as she could see that Haqua was having difficulty with the gaggle of girls. Sure, the attention might be nice, but it was getting a little too stifling as they turned their attention to the 2B Pencils as a group.

'It's the whole of the 2B Pencils! Please, would you sign this for us, please?'

Approaching them with starry expressions in their eyes, the gaggle of juniors pushed their individual notepads to them and after looking at each other, Chihiro sighed and nodded to show their consent and they did so after Chihiro took the lead by scribbling her signature on the first notepad that they were offered.

It seemed that Keima's training was paying off, if they were to get as many fans as possible, one important part was that they were public figures just by being known in school.

Everyone has different expectations of their idols but one must always remember that with fame comes their own restraints. Now that they were public figures, a single mishap would be blown up to obscene proportions and thus they must try and maintain their image in school to be as close as their biography as possible.

It does not matter how one behaves in private as long as their performance and behaviour were acceptable in public and it was something that Keima had stressed on the girls after the incident that Ayumi was involved in.

It was not necessary to be saints and Keima would never want the girls to be perfect. Being perfect was not required as everyone has their flaws. The important thing was that they were acceptable and 'real'. They were a band that were formed together with a common dream but they were really just High School Girls like everyone else, dealing with school, studies and relationship problems!

..

Thus, it wasn't really necessary for them to put on a perfect performance for everyone. All they had to do was to be ordinary, to be friendly and appreciative and not to let the fame get into their heads.

From their reaction and how Chihiro was able to put what he drilled into them into action was enough for Keima and the **Capturing God** smiled as he took his leave and headed into class without them. It wouldn't do for him to pull them back after all.

* * *

..

..

'You're a jerk to leave us behind, Katsuragi!'

Chihiro commented to Keima as the girls finally made it into class barely 5 minutes before the bell was scheduled to ring and from how haggard and tired the girls were, Keima could deduce that they had ran into more than that group of fans who had wanted to speak with them.

'And why do they know that we were going to have a Live Performance today?'

Ayumi whispered to him at his seat and even Elsi agreed as she placed both her hands on his table, pulling his PFP down to get his attention.

'I thought that Kami-Onii-sama said that it was supposed to be a secret? We had so many people asking us where the performance would be held!~~ Uuu.. I don't think I'm ready for it yet!'

'If you aren't, we'll have to get you prepared today then, Elsi-chan... Ayumi-chan.'

Putting a reassuring hand on the two girl's shoulders, Miyako commented as Keima nodded in agreement.

'Terada's right... we've practised as much as we can. For today we'll call it a day after we practised a few times with an audience.'

'A-an audience?'

His reveal was enough to cause most of the girls to call him out on that and they were still worked up even after realizing that everyone in class seemed to have overheard them.

If they didn't have an audience before, they were sure to have some now and that placed even more pressure on them as Keima snorted while tapping a pen on the table repeatedly to drill home his point.

'If you aren't prepared for that, how would you be able to play tonight? There is just one advice that I would like to share that might help.'

Pausing dramatically for effect, Keima spoke with a perfectly straight voice.

'Just imagine all of them to be naked.'

He was promptly greeted with physical abuse from some of the girls as they stomped off in anger, knowing full well that he was joking to try and get the stressful thoughts out of their heads.

But it... really wasn't helping at all!

* * *

..

Lunch was a quiet affair, no, not really as Keima had passed on some of his notes to Chihiro during lunch and told her to study them intently before passing it to the other girls.

The leader of the 2B Pencils was taken aback at the sudden gift as she chewed on her sandwich while reading up on the information that Keima provided for her.

'It is important that you know about what your competitors are... I've been the one who had done all the planning so far... but I feel it is time for me to let all of you know what I've collected as well. This would serve you well in selecting the things that you wish to perform. Remember, you do not have the experience... and perhaps not the skill. So the weapon that you wield in your hands is your energy as well as your motivation. Never forget what your dream is, Chihiro... never.'

Turning slightly red as Keima called her by her name, quite an uncommon occurrence, Chihiro nodded while remarking with a shy smile at the same time.

'Well, I know that Katsuragi would come and give me a push if I ever do that...'

'Don't ever take me for granted, Chihiro. You would never progress if you require my assistance to give you a push all the time.'

Keima had to break the atmosphere that was building with his blunt words but he reckoned that without them, Chihiro would never truly be independent.

They were reliant on him, perhaps too reliant on him and it was something that has to change eventually.

Even if he was **God, **he could not promise to be with all of them all the time precisely as he was **God**. No **God** would allow their followers to lose faith in him or themselves, especially if he had promised to help them through their most difficult of ordeals.

The 2B Pencils were in 'danger' then as they had challenged someone that was way better then them, Nakagawa Kanon and he was obliged to offer a helping hand to them and to guide them to the right path in the process.

But now that the danger has passed, it was time for them to learn how to go on... with or without him.

..

'… That's... true... I'm sorry Katsuragi.'  
Scratching her head as she apologized to Keima, Keima noticed how unsure she looked and he stood there for a few moments as he knew that Chihiro had something to say to him as well.

'Are you leaving then? You said that you'll be with us till the end... is this the end that you speak of? If so... I'm not sure that...'

'You've never truly been unsure, Chihiro... you've always knew what to do. That's your talent and your strength... you've always known what are the things that you could or should do... the thing that is hampering you and making you unable to go forward is your unwillingness to go through hardship.'

Keima paused as he pressed the binder harder into Chihiro's hands to emphasize his words.

'The way forward is tough, it has always been tough... but with my help it has been much easier, hasn't it? You wouldn't say that it has been easy to get this far, would you?'

Seeing her shake her head, Keima offered a smile as he continued.

'No, it hasn't, hasn't it? It has always been difficult... tough and there were times that you wanted to give up even though you knew that you just have to do that. It has been hard on you...'

He reached out to pet Chihiro's head several times, causing the girl to turn as red as a cherry as Keima continued.

'You did well in coming so far... but remember, everyone else have gone through the same thing... and it was together with them were you able to get this far after all. So continue on together with all of them... lead them towards the dream that you shared with them. I'll promised to watch all of you succeed and to meet Kanon on that stage and I would keep that promise.'

'… Even though it might not be with us?'

Chihiro was one sharp one and she seemed to be contemplating, hoping and praying that she was wrong and unfortunately, Keima offered no hints on what might or might not happen in the future.

'Who knows... but let's go, the rest are waiting for us.'

There was perhaps nothing more that he could do for them... so now it's finally time for their debut!

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thanks for reading up to this far. I'll be experimenting with something new next chapter, so look forward to it! And yes, it is finally their debut performance!**


	58. Debut

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 58: Debut**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: This is a new concept for me so please bear with me and give me feedback. Thank you _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta-edit as always!**

* * *

..

..

To say that the girls were nervous was quite an understatement as they looked at each other uncertainly while waiting at the backstage with Keima sitting patiently with them.

All of them had gotten dressed, applied their makeup and tuned their instruments in record time due to their nervousness and they looked great.

Chihiro was dressed in a black leather jacket endorsed with a white skull at the back, matching jeans, ripped at her right knee and tattered at the ends. Adding to that was a white polo T-shirt that exposed her right shoulder to contrast against the all black outfit. Besides all that, she had on some accessories, a belt made out of gold chain links hanging side-ways as a fashion statement, glitzy ear rings as well as a white leather choker to express her choice of defiance against society norms.

Or so Keima assumed as he was a little loss for words at her getup, not really believing how good it would look on her. Chihiro was wearing a cap that hide half of her face till Keima pushed it back while mumbling something about how hiding her face would be a sign of nervousness and a lack of confidence in herself.

In truth however, Keima wanted her to be confident with herself. Although she was not really a looker, she was still quite attractive with her makeup and accessories.

He was glad that she didn't over-dress but as she was the lead singer, she was not under-dressed as well.

..

For Ayumi, the energetic girl has chosen something more conservative, choosing to wear a simple hoodie instead. It was a move that would surely disappoint the male population but Keima reasoned that it would be an acceptable move as it would appeal more to the female fans as with a hoodie, Ayumi would portray an image more suitable to that of a guitarist as in first impression, it would make one assume that he was a male guitarist, especially with the hood up and over her head and seen from a distance.

Although it was Chihiro's job to be sexually ambiguous, something that Keima did not quite approve or disapprove, it would serve the purpose for getting others to notice Chihiro and Haqua more. Not to mention how Ayumi was still in the process of getting over her stage fright, it'll be a while before she could regain full confidence and others anyway.

..

This of course hid Ayumi's girlish figure underneath the Hoodie and from what had happened a few days prior to their first ever gig, he could hardly blame her.

The hoodie of choice was a common light grey one and it was slightly bigger than Ayumi, which Keima knew was to hide her figure in the first place. But it shows that she was a little insecure and afraid of the public, something that Keima would have to change in the future.

He encouraged her to wear something light and comfortable underneath the hoodie with a straight face, not turning red as she turned red at the suggestion.

Besides the Hoodie, Ayumi showed that she was still a girl at heart by wearing a pair of matching greyish jean-skirts that, although were not ridiculously short, showed off her gorgeous legs that Ayumi made sure she flaunted with thigh-highs that she might have borrowed from Haqua.

With the hood pulled up for the moment, Ayumi looked nervous but she smiled reassuringly when Keima offered to 'supervise' the crowd by being on stage as well, behind the curtains of course, ready to intervene if necessary if the crowd got too rowdy. The stage was horribly small, but it was to be expected due to the pub being quite a small one.

Even so, it was very packed and quite full to the brim due to the Singing Wizards being a really popular band. They were really the band to beat. It's do or die, their first impression starts here and now!

..

For Haqua, the other lead singer, she picked up a pair of very provocative halter-top shirt that exposed her shoulders as well as her back. Basically it was a backless dress that looked similar to a bikini and it would be hard to not say that Haqua was dressed to kill especially when she had on a ridiculously short mini-skirt with it, topped off by long white stockings that were screaming fanservice to all who laid eyes on her.

Of course, Haqua enjoyed the shocked expression on Keima's face before she donned a black jeans-jacket over her exposed arms and back, smirking and commenting about how boys will be boys till the end.

She looked terrific and with the drum set blocking most of the view of Haqua's legs, it was conservative and provocative at the same time. An oxymoron that should not exist that somehow works in the real world.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say that Haqua was the most confident of all the girls in the band about her looks as she has always threaded the line a little with her outfit and her choice of fashion, even if she was a conservative person at heart.

Being a confident person that was used to being in the spotlight might have helped her get over her conservative nature or maybe she was just able to knock out any one who dared to try and take advantage of her.

Yeah, that was probably it.

..

Terada went for something more formal and easy to recognize, donning a simple sleeveless white wrap dress, a contrasting black wrap dress that is both conservative as well as eye catching.

Her clothes covered almost every part of her save for her arms but the v-shaped neck line was dangerously close to her chest if not for the leather vest that she wore over it.

It looked a little odd but the materials chosen suited her to a tee; such a tease but careful at the same time.

Adding on a boys cap with a pair of white gloves made her look effectively stunning while not standing out too much against all of the girls.

Keima complimented her on her good choice of clothes secretly and the girl beamed as well. She had put in much thought before choosing this outfit for she did not wish to compete for attention.

_'But I'm sure that you will be popular nonetheless. All you need is someone who appreciates you.'_

_Keima mused softly and the girl took the opportunity to tease him._

_'If all else fails, I know I have you, Katsuragi~'_

..

Finally there was Elsi and like before she pulled out all the stops in this example, choosing a daring little black dress that was doubled as a lolita fashioned dress with frills and all the usual works.

The small dress was short sleeved with a large red ribbon pinned squarely on her chest and was patterned with small dark crosses that was hard to spot unless one take a close look at it.

Adding on to that small dress to make it acceptable and not too risque, Elsi donned red and black arm and leg warmers that was patterned with small skulls and bones diagonally over it with black knee-length laced up boots that covered up most of her legs and arms.

Topping it off, Elsi wore a miniature top hat that she wore on the right side of her head, adding on to her image as a cute lolita and Keima could only describe it as perfect beyond comparison.

..

She was as pretty as a flower and Keima could barely tear his eyes of her as she finished typing up those twin ponytails at the side of her head, a new fashion style that she probably wanted to try out.

One could hardly recognize her as THE Katsuragi Elsi and the other girls were as shocked and as excited by the change.

_'Oh wow, Elsi-chan!'_

_'Sugoi Sugoi!'_

_'You look... so cute, Elsi~'_

* * *

..

..

After the first performance by the Singing Wizards, Keima helped the backstage crew remove some of the Singing Wizard's instrument behind the boys, who were making small talk with the audience, mostly about the audition and a new Single as he watched the crowd's reaction.

Of course, Keima subsequently helped set up the 2B Pencil's instruments while the girls prepared themselves to go on stage once the cue was given.

'_And now we have a special guest of ours~'_

Keima watched as the audience seemed confused by the announcement and he grinned somewhat in seeing some of the girls looking back at the Singing Wizards curiously as they introduced the 2B Pencils as friends of theirs and of course, rivals in the Mai-High Festival audition.

'The talk of the town, the aspiring new band on the block... and our special guest for tonight, the 2B PENCILS!'

Screaming their name, Keima was gratified to see the crowd mostly stunned and not angry at the sudden change in itinerary. They had obviously heard about the 2B Pencils and despite the discouraging signs that most of them seemed upset and confused at the situation, there was still hope for them yet as members of the audience cheered and chanted out their names just like how they called out for the Singing Wizards.

Taking a deep breath, the girls nodded to the boys as they left the stage, leaving it to them as they walked over to their instruments.

The entire bar was mostly silent and quiet and Keima hoped that it was due to anticipation and politeness as the girls started their performance beginning with Ayumi, Elsi, Haqua and Miyako starting to play while Chihiro started the song with Haqua joining in at the second line.

..

**'Sweet Bitter Beauty Song'**

_Written by Shouko Ohmori  
Composed by Shinji Tamura  
Arranged by Shigeo Komori  
Performed by the Girls of K-ON! (Aki Toyosaki as Yui Hirasawa, Youko Hikasa as Mio Akiyama, Satomi Satou as Ritsu Tainaka, Minako Kotobuki as Tsumugi Kotobuki)_**  
**

..

Keima had told her not to overdo it and instead use a deeper voice to convey the message that the song was supposed to convey, a song that asked everyone else what one was going to do with their own life amidst the cruel reality of the world around them.

The song reminded everyone that everyone would have to, at one point or another, give in to others to pursue their ideals and that it was something that they could not avoid. That everyone was the same, struggling in the same society and world together.

_**Note:**_

_**C – Chihiro H – Haqua A – Ayumi E – Elsi M- Miyako All- All**_

..

_C: 'Life's a very Sweet and Bitter Beauty Song_

_H: nee kimi nara nani o utau? _

_(So, what are you gonna sing?)'_

..

_C: Go Ahead or Back... Right or Left_

_C: shunkan shunkan sentaku no renzoku_

_C: suzushii kao shitetatte igai ni iya, kanari MASHI da shi_

_(There's a choice to be made every moment you get_

_Despite your calm face, strangely you... nah, actually you look quite serious)_

_All: Life's a very Sweet and Bitter Beauty Song_

..

Keima's choreography had been planned to the smallest detail and from their rehearsal, Keima had directed Chihiro to stop playing at the start of the song, choosing instead to allow Ayumi and Elsi to cover for Chihiro as she slung her guitar to the side while pacing the stage in small steps while looking down, finally returning to her original spot and looking up while they hit the chorus where they all sang together as well as starting to play as well.

Her timing must be perfect and thankfully she pulled it off easily.

It was like a music video of sorts but it was all about impact, their vocals weren't as good and their playing were barely passable, they needed... something new and different after all

..

_H: Inu mitai ni shippo futte kigentori shitari_

_H: Zuuzuushiku ikirenai donna ni son da to iwarete mo_

_(You go tail-waggin' like a dog trying to please everyone_

_('Cause) you can't live like a rebel even when you're told you'll lose out)_

..

_H: binkan ga yakkai Teenager _

_H: kodou ga sugu DOKIDOKI abarete komaru kedo_

_(You're an sensitivity-conscious teenager _

_but your heart troubles you By beating fast and thrashing about so easily)_

..

The second part of the song should be a surprise to the audience as it would be Haqua's turn to sing, it wasn't common for the drummer to sing as they would usually be distracted by their own instrument.

However Haqua was different and she had tools that normal people didn't have as Keima had suggested that besides having a wireless mic that would help, Haqua could actually use her raiment to ensure that no background noise was transmitted by accident to the microphone, while helping her with the musical key and the lyrics.

Cheating, no... Abusing her powers, oh definitely.

Still, Haqua was lucky as compared to Chihiro as they were hardly any gestures or poses she has to strike, merely having to look confident while singing even as Chihiro retreated to stand slightly to the side to give the audience a view on who was actually singing the song.  
Right then, on to the chorus!

..

_C+H: onaji SUTEEJI no ue ni iru jan_

_C+H: tte sore dake de nanka yuuki waku ne_

_C+H: teion datte kouon datte_

_C+H: tokui na koe de minna iitai koto Singing So Loud_

_..  
_

_(Aren't we all standing on the same stage?_

_...and hey just saying that kinda lifts our courage, eh?_

_With a low range or a high one_

_Everyone's saying what they wanna say using their best voices singing so loud!)_

..

The chorus was simple as it would simply have the two lead singers sing together to show that the two of them can indeed work together in synchrony. More than anything else, their first song was an exhibition to their prowess as a band and Keima noted with satisfaction that from the shocked looks from the Singing Wizards as well as how the audience seemed to be rocking together with the band, joining in by shaking and waving their hands together with the music, that they at least had the showmanship part alright.

..

_H: Choose Friend or Love... Light or Deep_

_H: junjou aijou konton de monzetsu_

_tanoshii kao shitetatte sono ura de kizutsuitetari_

_..  
_

_(Choose "Friend" or "Love"... (Going) "Light" or "Deep"_

_All these feelings and emotions, you'd pass out to the panic they can do_

_Behind your happy face you're hurting inside)_

_All: Life's a very Sweet & Bitter Beauty Song _

..

Immediately after the chorus it was time for the roles to be reversed, Haqua to take the lead as they continued on with Keima's choreography perfectly. The time spent repeating each part was paying off and well, Haqua wasn't doing so badly due to her 'methods'.

That said, Keima had instructed Haqua to start of the second part of the song similar to how Chihiro had started it, adopting a deeper tone than usual due to the rock elements. The two lead singer's voice were more suited to sing more uplifting and cheerful songs due to them being higher pitched, as with most girls but **Sweet Bitter Beauty Song** was one that had a more rock feel after all.

..

_C: neko mitai ni tsume o tatete jibun mamoru you ni_

_C: kiyou ni arukenai nando koronde haji kaite mo_

_(You go clawin' like a cat trying to protect yourself_

_(So) you still can't walk straight and fall over so many times it's embarrassing)_

..

_C: Sensai ga senbai Teenager koma-ku ga fui ni FURUFURU _

_C: furuete sawagu kedo_

_(You're a meticulously delicate teenager but without notice your eardrums_

_Vibrate and shake furiously)_

..

It was Chihiro's turn after Haqua and that arrangement was made for the sake of resting their voices. It was difficult really to keep on singing, especially so when Keima could tell and feel that they were putting all their emotions into this song, one that he picked for all of them and one and they could really relate to.

It was obvious that Chihiro was taking this seriously as she put in extra effort for her to voice to actually change in tone, forcing it to be even deeper to emphasize parts of the lyrics. Keima knew that Chihiro was capable of doing that but she would pass as it would be hard on her throat, which was quite bad after practicing so much with the gang just a day before.

..

_C+H: onaji NANBAA de naitara ii jan_

_C+H: juunintoiro wa shouchi no ue de_

_C+H: teion datte kouon datte_

_C+H: yakedo shitara minna itai n da shi Shouting So Loud_

_..  
_

_(Can't we all cry to the same song?_

_Though we know it's different people, different taste_

_Low or high, take any temperature you want but_

_Everyone hurts when they get burnt shouting so loud)_

..

There was hardly any rest for Chihiro before the next part of the song started but Keima was glad to see her struggling and trying her best after Haqua helped to tide the situation over in the first line by literally screaming into the microphone as she sang the song.

The lyrics was more of a question directed to the audience and she did that well, screaming it and letting the others know that she wished to be heard, that she wanted answers from them and Keima had to admit that the lyrics were quite suited to the situation, just like how he planned it.

The 2B Pencils were different after all, different from normal girl bands as they had accepted Katsuragi Keima as their manager and had challenged a top idol who was looking at them from the top of the world to a duel in a seemingly insignificant High School Festival.

No one else could beat that and Haqua wanted to hammer that thought into all that was present and her emotions were quickly picked up by Chihiro, who joined in eagerly as well, making the two of them sound really fantastic even to Keima's high standards.

What would follow would be a guitar and bass solo that was performed courtesy of Elsi and Ayumi, the two of them would move to the front of the group to play together and it was a testament to their skill and hard work to work through that sequence in the first place.

Keima didn't ask for too much out of the two of them, but he had to say that watching the two of them play confidently in front of the crowd together in unison was all that was needed.

They were here to prove a point that every single member was pulling her weight and that meant that Miyako would get her time in the spotlight too later on as the guitar solo ended and all of the girls sang as one in the chorus together.

..

_All: onaji SUTEEJI no ue ni iru jan_

_All: tte sore dake de nanka yuuki waku ne_

_All: teion datte kouon datte_

_All: tokui na koe de minna iitai koto Singing So Loud_

_All: onaji NANBAA de waraeba ii jan_

_All: juunintoiro wa shouchi no ue de_

_All: teizoku datte kouketsu datte_

_All: hontou no kimochi dake dakishimete Shouting So Loud_

_..  
_

_(Aren't we all standing on the same stage?_

_...and hey just saying that kinda lifts our courage, eh?_

_With a low range or a high one_

_Everyone's saying what they wanna say using their best voices singing so loud_

_Can't we all smile to the same song?_

_Though we know it's different people, different taste_

_Brash or gentle, rude or dignified_

_Everyone's holding onto only their true feelings shouting so loud)_

..

_All: Life's a very Sweet and Bitter Beauty Song_

_All: Life's a very Sweet and Bitter Beauty Song_

_All: Life's a very Sweet and Bitter Beauty Song_

_M: nee kimi nara nani o utau?_

_(So, what are you gonna sing?)_

..

..

The significance in choosing this song was its symbolism as well as asking the 2B Pencil's first ever audience that they, the 2B Pencils was just the same as everyone else... and they wished for everyone's acceptance as they were trying to achieve their dreams.

The choice is theirs but no matter what, the 2B Pencils would never give up and continue to go on despite what everyone said to them.

That was their resolution and they wanted to state that by singing this song, reminding and sending a message that they choose this path, even if society/life itself depicts that it would be a hard and difficult road to achieve their dreams.

In a way their outfit showed how they were willing to dress out of the norms, or at least their own comfort zone as their individual threads couldn't really be matched with each other, all of them were different in a way and would not mesh well together.

But at the same time, it was exactly why they were different that made the group stand out as one. One cannot really explain it, but it seemed right to have those five girls, each with different personalities and with different things to prove to sing together, to be... a group, a cohesive and a single unit working together to achieve their dreams.

Their clothes matched their song and their song matched their message and to top it off, their message shouted loud and clear to everyone in the club; Miyako got her moment in the spotlight as she was the one who sang and asked the final question of the song to everyone else as everyone else stopped playing exactly at that time for her to drop the question.

It was difficult to draw emphasis on Miyako as she was the one on the keyboard but Miyako said that she didn't really mind, not when she could still play her instrument and Keima apologized profusely to her for not being able to get her more attention till she said that she really, really didn't mind.

Not when it was a small price to pay to help achieved her dream of playing live.

..

..

There was silence after their performance and all of the girls were sweating as they pulled off their first performance to a live crowd. Keima was proud of them and he knew that they themselves were happy and proud of themselves as well and would not regret this first performance.

'Miina-san, watashi tachi wa, 2B Pencils deshita!'

They spoke as one and they were greeted with cheers, whistles and shouts of encouragement and encore as the whole club exploded into life, cheering and applauding their performance.

It was as Keima could say so, a perfect debut performance.

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Give me feedback on whether the format is acceptable for you guys kay? That said, TWOGK LOCALIZATION VOL 12 IS OUT!**


	59. Debut Part II

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 59: Debut Part II**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I guess everyone is busy with exams? I wish all of you luck. Thank you _Wolf's Honor_ for the beta-read!**

* * *

..

Taking a deep breath after their début song, the girls were all ecstatic at having the crowd react to their song in that way. They were 'accepted' and not 'rejected' by them.

Even those fan-girls of the Singing Wizard were hard-pressed to find fault with them as they were applauding them just as hard as the others who were cheering them on.

They could hear the club-goers chanting their name as Chihiro nervously allowed her instrument to drop to her side before running her hands on the microphone in front of her, earning a few laughs as she fumbled with it, lightening the mood some what even as the other girls looked at her nervously.

Honestly, they were taken aback at the positive way that the audience have taken their songs as all of them had decided and rehearsed amongst themselves on what they would do if the audience was to jeer them or even worse, leave the club before they could prove their point but it seemed like they had worried for nothing.

..

Something to note was that even if they were jeered or if the audience all walked out, the girls planned on continuing to play anyway. They owed it to Keima as well as the Singing Wizards to do so and that showed how much courage had and how much they were willing to lose just to get this small chance to prove themselves.

'Konbanwa Miina-san! I hope that all of you enjoyed our first song. All of you might not know this but this is our first 'Live' performance so... if we make any mistakes, please forgive us!'

Bowing to the audience briefly, there was a smile on Chihiro's face as she straightened her back and stood confidently on the stage while gesturing to Haqua who was behind all of them, causing the spotlight to fall on her and the demon girl stood up and bowed to the audience as well.

'Thanks to our manager, we have been given this chance to perform for all of you... but it is also due to him that we aren't allowed to introduce ourselves before and so without further ado, let us introduce ourselves.'

Taking their cue, Ayumi, Elsi and Miyako all stepped forward and bowed to their audience, Elsi and Ayumi looking chippy and happy at hearing the audience whistle and applaud them just as hard as they did with Chihiro and Haqua.

The Main singer was usually the one who gets all if not most of the credit for the band as they are the 'face' of the group and to be honest, Keima would have chosen Elsi or Ayumi as the lead singer if he could but since Chihiro is the founder of the band and the girls already decided in letting her being the lead singer, there was no way around it.

Even so, credit must be given to the boy for managing to center the band around Chihiro and Haqua with all the odds against him.

..

Sure, Chihiro was a great leader but she has her issues with 'mood generation'. The individual who has 'control' over the group's mood was no doubt Ayumi, the girls were actually centred around her emotionally while Elsi was another person who was a great mood changer as well. If Elsi gets discouraged, the girls would get discouraged... it was as simple as that.

However, something that Chihiro did not lack of was confidence and wacky ideas. Chihiro might not be a very good mood 'generator' but she was great in spontaneity and she was extremely flexible, traits which Keima wanted her to use to her benefit.

Thus, one can say that she has great influence on stage, one can never really predict what she could be saying or doing to some extent.

..

'Tadah~~ This our guitarist, Takahara Ayumi-chan!'

Chihiro smiled as Ayumi strummed a few notes to demonstrate the point, Ayumi smiled weakly at the audience even as her legs shivering a little as the male population all wolf-whistled at her. It was surely the memories of the previous encounter affecting her but Ayumi rallied remarkably well as she steadied herself to finish her mini performance, flashy but skilful as well.

'Hai, Watashi Wa Takahara Ayumi, yoroshiku.'

A humble bow and Ayumi retreated back to the back of the group, breathing a sigh of relief even as Elsi stepped forward while Chihiro introduced her to the audience.

'Our bassist, Katsuragi Elsi-chan! Let it rip, Elsi-chan!'

Nodding to the other demon girl, Haqua shook her head slightly as she could see that Elsi was a little distracted, perhaps fumbling a little as she did her rehearsed way of playing her bass, a left hander does look good but it was of course quite difficult to muster.

Thankfully Elsi did not favor either hand and it had been quite easy for her to pick up the skill.

'Elsi desu! Please support me and the 2B Pencils!'

Waving cheerfully at the audience, Elsi tripped on the wire hooking up her bass to the sound system but thankfully Chihiro was able to pull her back to steady her.

'Ara ara...'

Hearing Miyako's soft laughter from behind at what happened, Haqua took the opportunity to redirect the spotlight on the humble keyboard player behind, the demon had always been concerned about how Miyako always seem to prefer to have attention directed away from her.

Perhaps Haqua was feeling a little guilty at having the other girls take the spotlight and for her to be left out? The keyboardist and the drummer were usually the ones supporting the band and not leading the band.

However, Haqua knew that Miyako does have the talent, the skill as well as the stage presence to be just as good if not better than Chihiro when she gets going.

Terada Miyako, the 'normal' girl who intimidated the **Capturing God** was surely holding her hand back as Miyako blinked once in hesitation before curtseying in a very elegant manner even as Haqua introduced her to the audience.

'Our talented keyboardist, Terada Miyako!'

Putting on a solo performance by running her hands skilfully over the keyboard, Miyako left the girls a little speechless as she really did capture everyone's attention with an extremely complicated score that she no doubt memorized.

..

'And last but not least, we are the two lead singers of 2B Pencils!'

Recovering herself first, Chihiro pumped a fist into the air before pointing a finger at Haqua.

'Haqua-chan!'

'Chihiro-san!'

Being a little more formal, Haqua nodded to Ayumi to kick off the next song as she announced their next song while hitting her drums as well.

'Let's go! One, two, three!'

..

**'Pure Pure Heart!'**

_**Note:**_

_**C – Chihiro H – Haqua A – Ayumi E – Elsi M- Miyako All- All**_

..

_**H**__: Atama no naka omoi de ippai_

_**H:**__ Afuresou na no chotto shinpai_

_**H: **__Toriaezu heddohon de fusakou~_

_**M: **__(Don't stop the music!)_

..

_There's tons of thoughts in my head_

_I'm sort of afraid they might spill out_

_But I'll just plug it up with headphones~_

..

The song started slow, with Haqua providing the beat of the music in general as the girls got into the rhythm of things much earlier than they did on their first song as their nervousness were all gone now.

Keima felt glad that they did a few lessons on how to perform in front of crowds, using a backdrop of people for them to visualize performing in that fashion and it seemed to help as the girls were not looking down on their instruments but looking left and right at the audience and making eye contact with them on occasion.

It was important as that showed that the girls were skilled and were practising hard enough to forgo looking down at their instrument, a very easy way to see how experienced they are.

Not to mention that it score points with the audience as eye contact provides some sort of personal touch, a smile to someone in the audience can instantly raise points with him even if the player was just looking at that general direction.

Either way, Keima was glad to see that the girls still had the same stage presence as before and was demanding and dominating the audience's attention just by playing.

Sure, they weren't at the level of the Singing Wizards, the boys had better vocals and were very experienced in catching the attention of the audience with their dynamic playing.

Thus, Keima's strategy was to 'meet' their challenge with their songs. As Chihiro and Haqua were still adapting to their individual styles of singing and were considered rookies, the two of them do not have a preference to the type, pitch and genre of songs that they would rather prefer and they left it to Keima to decide.

The Singing Wizards were a band that was very heavy into the rock and heavy metal genre, they weren't screaming their heads off by it was a genre that Keima disliked and one that needed great skill and practise to do, something which the girls do not have.

They would logically be over their heads if they thought that they could match up to the Singing Wizard's high level performance and dreaming to even be able to be compared to Kanon, who had coaches and lessons for years in her bid to be the Top Idol.

..

However, it was exactly this inexperience that made it possible for Keima to score a breakthrough. The 2B Pencils are specialists of none and that was their selling point. Besides being able to sing a wide variety of songs in various genres shall be their trump card and that was why the second song was much slower but nonetheless was still a song that Keima knew would relate to the audience.

..

_**C: **__Hoshii mono wa hoshii tte iu no_

_**C: **__Shitai koto wa shitai tte iu no_

_**C: **__Dakedo ienai kotoba mo aru no_

_**M: **__(Can't stop my heartbeat!)_

..

_I'll say that I want the things I want_

_I'll say I want to do the things I want to do_

_But there are also words I cannot say_

..

Taking up the next line from Haqua, Chihiro turned away from the audience briefly as if to elaborate her point while strumming all the way, turning to meet Keima in the eye and the girl's smile got even brighter when Keima nodded in satisfaction, even allowing himself to break character for a moment to give a thumbs-up sign to Chihiro.

This song can be said to a continuation to their earlier song, 'Sweet and Bitter Song' where the girls asked the audience and everyone listening to them to give them a chance to prove themselves.

They were on the same boat after all, right and 'Pure Pure Heart' wishes to emphasize that despite being able to perform as a group, each one of them are still like the members of the audience.

They still have unspoken words, unsaid feelings that they could not say... unless it is through their songs, where they were truly free to some extent.

..

_**H: **__Ikinari! Chansu tourai_

_**H: **__Guuzen onaji kaerimichi_

_**C:**__ Wow! Fukuramu mune no fuusen_

_**C: **__Kyuu ni ashi ga chuu ni uku no_

_**C: **__oushoukiryuu ni notte_

..

_Suddenly! A chance arrives_

_We happen to take the same way home_

_Wow! The balloon in my heart blows up_

_My feet suddenly feel light_

_And they float on the air_

..

The next portion of the song was sung as a duet between the two lead singers along with Miyako, who had been providing the accompanying lyrics from the first and it provided both a breather for the two of them as well as helping to change the pace of the song as well as to prepare the two of them for the chorus up next.

Unlike 'Sweet Bitter Beauty Song', 'Pure Pure Heart' can be said to be a straightforward song. There wasn't much or any performance involved, just small 'acts' that Keima had choreographed with the girls to prove their point.

It can be described as a role-play performance and it did make it more approachable, using something that has been widely used as a teaching tool for entertainment.

..

_**Chorus**_

_**C+H: **__Tonde icchae! Kimi no moto e_

_**C+H: **__Watashi no pyua pyua haato_

_**C+H: **__Uketomete kureru nara kowaku wa nai no_

_**C+H: **__Kono kimochi ga taikiken koeta toki_

_**C+H: **__Kimi wa mienaku natteta michi no mukougawa_

_**All:**__ Ai * Don't mind_

..

_Fly away! To where you are_

_This pure pure heart of mine_

_I'll have no fear if you will accept it_

_But when these feelings passed through the atmosphere_

_You had disappeared from the other side of the street_

_Oh well, I * Don't mind_

..

The chorus was a totally different matter as the two lead singers, Haqua and Chihiro went all out together, compensating for each other as they sung out loud while trying to do exactly what they are singing.

They were trying to express themselves, what they feel about their performance... their insecurities, their fear, their passion as well as all their joy in being able to perform for all of them.

Even if it was one individual, even if it was Keima... no, because it was Keima, were they able to get a stage like this for their debut performance and the girls hoped but at the same time knew that Haqua and Chihiro would be able to express their feelings to the audience, all of them.

The lyrics as well as what they were trying to do can be called a small hopeful wish, that their only and sole goal here could be accomplished unlike what they are singing right now.

..

As Keima watched from the sidelines, Keima could see that the whole club has fell silent and was listening to the group intently and he smiled in satisfaction. Even if they might not like the performance, even if they might think that this song was really ridiculous, by giving them the space and the respect for them to continue their performance and to perhaps finish it was all that was needed.

Respect must be earned after all and Keima believed that in some way, they did earn that respect.

..

_**C:**__ Ai no kotoba chiribameta_

_**C: **__Uta wa sunao de ii yo ne_

_**C: **__Nanige ni kuchizusande arukou~_

_**M:**__ (Don't stop the music!)_

..

_You know, an honest song_

_With words of love mounted inside is the best way_

_I'll casually hum it as I walk along_

..

There was a small break for the two girls as Ayumi and Elsi took over, playing their best as Chihiro took a step back to grab a well deserved breath of air even as Haqua's brows furrowed while keeping the same beat.

Their inexperience still shows and despite Chihiro's attempt in continuing to play, she did slip up a few times, thankfully those slip-ups were minor and barely registered to the audience even if they were picked up by Keima.

The **Capturing God** did however notice that the Singing Wizards were now all focused solely on the girls, their eyes following their every move while their Manager shot a few inquisitive and yet respectful looks at his direction.

The few times that they had eye contact was enough for him to give a curt nod of admiration.

Keima wasn't entirely sure that showing some of his hand, the abilities of the girls too their strongest rivals were a good thing but he reckoned that the pay-off were worth it at least to take this gamble.

Even so, Keima told himself to be a little harder on the girls if they were getting complacent even as Chihiro started on the second half of the song with a smile, telling Keima that she was still enjoying herself, unlike the small frown that was appearing on Haqua's face showing that even a genius was getting overwhelmed by the things she had to do.

..

The song by itself isn't hard per se, but it does require a bit of skill as at times it doesn't really sound like one was singing the song but rather speaking it out loud in a fast manner. That was the tricky part, this was indeed a song, a song that was simple, slow but yet complex as it brings out the meaning of the lyrics perfectly.

A casual song, one that can be sung by everyone if one has the lyrics... but a song that was hard to express through singing as it was too simple, too easy to know the underlining meanings just from the lyrics.

That was the problem, their minor and hopeful wish would be difficult to express through just the lyrics, they have to prove it with their singing, their skills and their ability.

..

_**H: **__Watagashi yori amai merodi_

_**H: **__Hanabi yori mo atsu rizumu_

_**H: **__Suki na kyoku wa suki tte ieru no ni_

_**M:**__ (Can't stop my heartbeat!)_

..

_A melody sweeter than cotton candy_

_And a rhythm hotter than fireworks_

_After all, I can just say I like the songs I like_

_(Can't stop my heartbeat!)_

..

It's odd to see how Haqua tried to smile while singing while all the time paying attention to the lyrics that were hovering in front of her and Keima grimaced at how awkward it seemed to him. Hopefully the audience wouldn't notice anything different about her, she was just a little stiff and rigid, the situation making her very tense and she was scrunching up her shoulders a little just from the effort.

Elsi shot a quick but worried look back to Haqua as she noticed that, besides Keima she was the only other individual present who could see Haqua 'cheating' with her invisible score sheet and lyrics after all.

Haqua's mood got a little better after that small eye contact with Elsi however and Keima shook his head slightly while wiping his brow free of the sweat that had accumulated without her knowing.

It's really gratifying to see the girls helping each other, showing concern for each other even on the stage and Keima considered that a success even as the girls unconsciously repositioned themselves to keep each other in eye contact, something which can be explained by them wanting to know how each one of them are doing even as the two lead singers braced themselves for their duet, Haqua taking deep breath along with a grimace as Chihiro kicked off the next part.

..

_**C: **__Fuiuchi! Pinchi tourai_

_**C: **__Hamingu kikarechatta kamo_

_**H: **__No! Hajimete me ga atte_

_**H: **__Ureshii kedo hazukashikute_

_**H: **__Nigegoshi na no yo dou shiyou_

..

_Surprise attack! A problem arrives_

_Maybe you heard what I was humming_

_No! For the first time, our eyes meet_

_I'm happy, but embarrassed_

_I'm about to run away... what'll I do?_

..

Keima actually had to snicker a little at this portion of the song, especially so when it was Haqua singing the latter part of it. There was really nothing better than to describe the tsundere demon and she seemed to realize that too, turning a little red as she forced herself to sing it with an embarrassed expression on her face.

It was visible and obvious enough for even the audience to pick up her embarrassment and they shouted encouragement to Haqua as the drummer rallied on towards the chorus, Chihiro in tow as the two of them nodded to each other before going all out once again.

..

_**C+H: **__Tsuppashicchae! Michibata de_

_**C+H: **__Furueteru pyua pyua haato_

_**C+H: **__Dokomademo toumei na ano soratakaku_

_**C+H: **__Umaretate no hitsujigumo no kimochi yo_

_**C+H: **__Kimi wo oikaketai no shingou wa aka ne_

_**All:**__ Ai * Don't mind_

..

_Run away! On the wayside_

_Is my trembling, pure pure heart_

_Go on and on into the top of the clear sky_

_They're being born, the feelings of the altocumulus clouds_

_I want to chase after you, but the light is red_

_Oh well, I * don't mind_

..

Keima was proud to see that the girls were all focused on their playing, Ayumi and Elsi's playing naturally as always, small mistakes from Elsi as she strummed a few notes wrong but almost perfect playing from Ayumi throughout the entire song up till now.

However, Elsi was still a tad self conscious and her eyes wandered erratically, favouring to smile at the girls and to nod along while Elsi was more expressive, strumming energetically with exaggerated movements at times to highlight her own feelings for the song.

Miyako herself was steady, as steady as the rock and the centre of the band in a way as besides Haqua, she was responsible for the beat of the song.

With a picture perfect smile, her elegant posture as well as her preferred choice of instrument, there was nothing stopping Miyako from being the centre of the attention if not for the girls playing with her who was better in the looks department, sadly one of the more important criteria...

That said, the two leads were great in their chorus, vocally louder and more expressive in the second round of the chorus, their energy infecting the crowd as they started waving their hands in synchrony to support all of them but there was a surprise for all of them as Chihiro stepped aside while Keima motioned for the spotlight to be played on the Elsi and Ayumi to strut their stuff, strumming in the centre till the spotlight was shifted to Miyako.

..

_**M:**__ Ah boryuumu wo agete_

_**M: **__Hora tokimeki sagasu yo_

_**M: **__Mata kono basho de nandodemo_

_**M: **__Aesou na ki ga suru yo_

..

_Ah, turn up the volume_

_Hey, I'll search for that heart throbbing feeling_

_I get the feeling that we'll meet_

_Here again many times_

..

It was an idea suggested by the girls, to give Miyako more stage presence and although the girl rejected and did not want the spotlight, she was outvoted and she had to go through with it.

Even with her unwillingness, Miyako was not going to do something without putting her all in it and the girl's eyes furrowed in concentration as she sang loudly, proudly and with confidence to the audience.

Terada Miyako might not be as good as Haqua or Chihiro but she was just as hard-working as the two of them and she pulled off a remarkable performance as the audience, initially stunned, responded with cheers even as the climax, the last part of the song begun.

..

_**All:**__ Tonde icchae! Kimi no moto e_

_**All:**__ Watashi no pyua pyua haato_

_**All:**__ Uketomete kureru nara kowaku wa nai no_

_**All:**__ Kono kimochi ga taikiken koeta toki_

_**All:**__ Kimi wa mienaku natteta michi no mukougawa_

_**All:**__ Ai * Don't mind_

..

_Fly away! To where you are_

_This pure pure heart of mine_

_I'll have no fear if you will accept it_

_But when these feelings passed through the atmosphere_

_You had disappeared from the other side of the street_

_Oh well, I * Don't mind_

..

Was it a tradition or their style? Keima couldn't decide what to say when the girls insisted that they would want to sing the last segment together and he had groaned a little as the logistics needed for such a stunt would be a tremendous hurdle.

Thankfully he was able to pull it off due to Elsi and Haqua's manipulation and he was able to provide all of the girls with their own cordless microphones, something that was quite difficult considered the lack of funding for the club.

But the effect was something that Keima admit was something that was worth the effort and time to coordinate.

The 2B Pencils work best together as a group due to his guidance and his gentle nudging and he was willing to wager that the girls have never been closer to each other before his inclusion.

The term BFF, Best friends forever is easy to say but the reality of life is that even best friends drift apart with the passing of time. One cannot be expected to have one's fate, destiny and life be connected and entwined with another individual forever after all.

However one cannot discount the possibility that there are individuals who will remain a part of one's life throughout one's entire life. Whether the person was with them physically, through a shared dream, memory or perhaps due to one small contribution that they did to help the other person, that individual would forever remember the other and will constantly be affecting the other.

That can be called a Best Friend, or a True Friend... and whether the 2B Pencils really forge that bond with each other was all up to debate and in the air... perhaps they will, perhaps they won't.

But Keima knew that they will never forget what happened tonight as all of them finished their performance just the same way they started, together as a group as the bowed and thanked the audience for their time and their patience.

..

'Thank you and we will see you next time!'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Give me a couple of reviews people! It wouldn't hurt and I'll really appreciate it!**


	60. Drifting Away

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 60: Drifting Away**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta-edit. Please do my poll people, I need to know whether you'll support me!**

* * *

..

..

'Thank you for your help today.'

Bowing respectfully to the Singing Wizard's manager, Kabuto Adachi, Keima exchanged a few words of formalities as the 2B Pencils hung around the backstage together with the boys, all of whom were looking at them in a new light, especially the lead singer, Kounagi Taka who was conversing with Chihiro.

'You were great, Kosaka, I didn't... no, that's rude, I didn't know you were holding out on us! You too... erm, Miss Herminium?'

Blinking and then laughing at how he awkwardly called her name, Haqua shook her head at Taka's direction before going back to speaking with Ayumi. Ayumi was the only girl who was not actively engaged by the boys and it seemed that they were hesitant to do so partly due to Haqua hovering protectively over her along with Keima's intimidating aura when the Singing Wizards caught up with the girls after their own performance was over.

The manager, Adachi had wanted to have a few words with him and Keima had taken some time off to speak with him while the girls changed.

His experience was undeniable and Keima found the time spent with him to be worth it as he commented on how their debut had gone.

It was just like how he had wanted it to be, the 2B Pencils had a great debut and it was more than likely that the audience has accepted and embraced them as a good band in the block.

Their inexperience shows and although their overall presentation was good, the girls were not striking out individually but only as a group, but Keima shook those comments off as they were all what he expected after all.

What did make him raise an eyebrow was his honest comment that they probably did their best for their first debut, considering the expectations that their online presence has generated and they probably didn't disappoint.

..

_'But you'll have to work hard to maintain that image, Katsuragi. The girl's aren't ready yet, they haven't got... the willpower or the realization that their lives are about to be changed. I've worked hard to get Taka and the guys to where they are now... you wouldn't believe it but at the start we were worse than you... a motley bunch of kids who didn't have any fashion sense or any idea of how harsh the world was.'_

The Singing Wizards were formed a couple of years ago and that meant that the manager and founder, Adachi had seen the band form over the years. He wasn't playing an active role in the band now, he said that he had 'retired' from playing but Keima wondered really.

Could he have backed out just because he rooted out a better talent for the group? It wasn't uncommon to have a band breakup and reform over the years and that was exactly what happened with the Singing Wizards, there have been several changes in the members over the years.

_'So work hard, Katsuragi... you know there can only be one hotshot band in the block! Just kidding~!'_

Adachi grinned as he slapped Keima's shoulders after his analysis.

..

Looking over his shoulder while they continued speaking, mostly about the logistics involved and even about another opportunity to work today, Keima saw Miyako speaking with her counterpart as well and they seemed to be hitting off well, chatting with each other energetically and they seemed to be absorbed in their own world even with Elsi and _her_ counterpart beside them.

The other two however was very awkward and barely spoke a few words together but Keima believed that it was his fault as well.

He had been unnaturally protective over Elsi ever since he saw what she had been wearing on the stage and he wasn't very amused at how some of the older men looked at her. Well, anyone of the girls actually but he was more agitated when it came to Elsi and it made him a little worried at that realization.

Anyway, it seemed that Elsi and her counterpart weren't hitting off well and it suited Keima fine, even if such thoughts weren't befitting that of a big brother.

..

Haqua was still speaking with Ayumi and it seemed like the demon-girl was still trying to get Ayumi to cheer up as despite the success of their debut as she was still a little wary about the overzealous fans. There had been some fans, particularly the male population who were obviously their fans and they chanted their names towards the end of their performance and even wanted an encore, which the girls quickly declined as they were overstaying their welcome.

That might have made her a little more nervous than usual and Keima was glad to see Haqua looking after Ayumi like this and when he did catch her eye, he nodded to her and earned a swift grin in response before she began speaking to Ayumi again.

..

For Chihiro, she was scratching her head while being praised by Kounagi Taka tonight and from the looks of things, even hitting on her a little.

'Are you even listening to me, Katsuragi?'

Blinking as he realized that he was indeed not doing so, Keima apologized and hastily wrapped up their conversation while Adachi simply shrugged in reply.

'Well, I know that we'll be rivals the next time we meet, so let's do our best.'

Offering a hand to Keima, Adachi grinned again as Keima shook it without hesitation. The entertainment industry was a brutal one and as they are public figures, it was still important to make as few enemies as possible. Competition and rivalry might work if handled in the right manner but more often than not, it would lead to bitter feuds that would actually damage the reputation of both parties.

'Likewise to you and if you need any assistance, please do feel free to contact me.'

Nodding to him, Keima walked back towards the girls who all brightened up as he approached them, no doubt waiting to hear his appraisal of the debut.

'All of you did well and surpassed my expectations. Let us go back now; all of you should be tired.'

Breaking his personal rule of allowing less physical contact than usual, Keima ruffled all the girl's hair briefly and although he got a different reaction from each of the girls, Ayumi and Elsi both smiled happily, Chihiro and Miyako seemed a little annoyed at being treated like a child and Haqua seem torn between the former two, Keima knew that his message had gone through to them.

..

Unfortunately life wasn't that easy for them as It turned out that about a fifth of the audience were fans of the 2B Pencils and Keima wondered not for the first time what exactly has he unleashed upon the world for them to get such a following after only a week or so of publicity.

Perhaps the city was too small and his advertising means too eye-catching to make it impossible for them _not_ to be famous? It was certainly food for thought for a later date.

For now though, Keima amused himself at seeing how the girls and boys alike literally mobbed the 2B Pencils the moment they retreated towards the side and while heading towards the backstage.

..

_'All of you were amazing!'_

_'Please, sign my autograph for me?'_

_'Oh, oh, when is your next live? I'll love to hear all of you again!_

_'Will you take requests from us too?'_

_'Will this be a weekly gig too?'_

..

With pens, notebooks and everything else flying all over the place in the haste to get closer to the girls, it took only for a while till Keima decided enough was enough as the girls were getting flustered and were unable to respond to their barrage of questions.

'That's enough, we have to go now.'

Raising a hand and cutting his way through the crowd and attracting their attention by clapping his hands loudly and clearly, Keima did not face the crowd directly but instead faced his back towards them instead while he urged the girls to go in front of him.

Thinking ahead, Keima had called for a 6-six seater taxi to bring them all back out of his own pockets and as all of them rushed into it, Keima raised his hand up again into the air before bringing it down in front of the stunned group of fans to get their attention.

'I hope all of you had enjoyed their performance, the footage of the concert would be up on the website by tomorrow morning. For more information on any further activities by the 2B Pencils, please subscribe to our feed or twitter accounts. Please excuse us for now, everyone needs a rest.'

Jumping into the cab as well, Keima's small and minor distraction worked and the taxi rolled off without interruption.

..

As they headed towards their first destination, Keima was surprised at how silent it was in the cab, he would have imagined that the girls would be excited by the new-found fame.

'…'

The silence was getting to him and after clearing his throat, Keima hoped to start the ball rolling.

'All of you would have to prepare a signature for all of your fans.'

'W-whaaaa?'

It was Miyako who gave that exclamation and although Keima did not know whether she was method acting or was she really shocked, her outburst seemed to have removed the tension in the air as several of the girls started giggling.

'I guess we should huh? What do you think, Elsi-chan?'

'Ehh...? I'm not good with signatures... can I just use a stamp? or my thumbprint?'

'That's so old fashioned, Elsi! You're all grown up now so you should use your signature instead!'

'Looks like Haqua has been practising signing signatures, huh?'

Grinning as she winked at Haqua, Chihiro blinked and blushed when she caught Keima's eye and saw that he was actually smiling at the antics going on behind him and she shook her head slightly as well.

'Thanks, Katsuragi! We'll be lost without you earlier.'

Paying him compliments as well, Chihiro elbowed Miyako and the other girl blinked before nodding in agreement.

'Mm mm! That was scary, I didn't know we had so many fans... how many subscribers did we get on our Youtube account, Katsuragi-kun?'

'The last I checked it was around a 1500 subscribers...'

'1500 subscribers! That's a lot! Oh... dear... now I'm just thinking of the implications, please ignore me while I wonder if I should hire bodyguards right now!'

Clutching her head as she shook her hand in every direction, Miyako's antics earned more laughter from all the girls as Haqua sniffed unhappily.

'I think that's still a little low... we should work harder to get more people to listen to us. I mean, there's a lot those... Singing Wizards Fans right? If we can get better... perhaps they can be our fans too... the way they cheered us on when Chihiro-san and I sang, it really... felt good. I feel happy today.'

A truthful statement from Haqua and all of the girls nodded their head in agreement. That was an understatement as all of the girls were so psyched to have the audience's attention on them. They hadn't realized it before but it was really like a dream come true for all of them.

'All of you have come far... I'll cut all of you some slack today...'

Shaking his head, Keima reminded the girls of their first taped recording before he joined and that caused all of the original 2B Pencils to turn red and for them to splutter at him as one.

'T-that doesn't count!'

'W-we were inexperienced then, Kami-Onii-sama!'

'uhm... perhaps we should destroy the evidence...'

'It didn't exist at all, nuh uh!'

All of them were in denial and Keima chuckled at the response he had gotten and wondered out loud whether Haqua would like a copy of that audio clip.

'Don't you dare, Katsuragi!'

'Katsuragi-kun, I'll look down on you if you did that.'

'Please don't, Kami-Onii-sama!'

'EHHHH!'

Their reactions were as priceless as he imagined and he was glad that he provoked the right reactions, there was another bombshell for them that he hasn't announced yet. His hand was forced but that doesn't mean he was out of options and he looked at his PFP for a moment before going back to work, uploading the video that he had taken earlier onto the web.

* * *

..

..

'Hai! This is Nakagawa desu!'

Picking up her phone out of pure habit than anything else, Nakagawa Kanon was surprised to hear a familiar voice over the phone. It had been a terrific few days for Kanon as she had made great progress in recording her new single as well as being able to meet with her crush, Katsuragi Keima.

Yes, Kanon herself was aware of what her actions would bring to her own image, it wasn't really ideal as Keima-kun wasn't exactly an example of a model student.

She was an idol and idols had to be what her public demands her to be after all. That was what her rational mind told her but another part of her simply didn't care.

Kanon really didn't quite care about her status as an idol at this point as like she had told Keima, her dream was to be able to get people from all over the world to listen to her songs, her emotions and the things that she can't express through her voice alone.

That part was achieved and so Kanon thought that her wish has been granted and she has nothing left to prove.

If anything though, she wanted to prove that regardless of her personal life, her songs and voice were all that mattered.

Kanon herself knew that it was thanks to her cute and pretty looks that she was able to take the lead from Citron and subsequently to rise up the ranks to be one of the most recognizable idols in the country.

Reality and the world were harsh after all and Kanon had to fight the prejudice from some of her peers that she was successful only due to her looks and not her vocals.

She took offence from that and has been trying her best to maintain her image of a school-girl idol by not showing off excessive 'skin', something her manager was trying to coax her to try.

A little skin and fanservice would no doubt make her popularity increase but to Kanon, it was like selling a part of herself to gain her goals.

Perhaps she might have considered that, perhaps if not for Katsuragi Keima. He was the one person who did not see her as the idol but as a normal girl and she was embarrassed to think that at some point in time she could be called a stalker for she was obsessed over him.

That was before she fell in love with him of course and for him to open her eyes to how... different he was, not only in his view but in his own moral values as well.

..

Thus, she was determined to uphold those values to keep her image even while coexisting with Katsuragi Keima. Speaking of which, it was Keima that called her and she smiled happily at hearing his voice over the phone.

Keima doesn't really say much but his presence around her was enough to make her feel safe, secure and confident in the future.

Yes, with him around Kanon felt that she could do anything and just having him spending some time with her in the morning was enough to make everything seem so much better.

Perhaps it was a placebo effect but Kanon really looked forward to the times where she could have his attention solely on her.

Yes, Katsuragi Keima was known for his own eccentric behaviour with his games but Kanon loved him as a whole, not just a part of him.

Was that why he decided to spend some time with Kanon after all? She had been very surprised when Keima appeared at the school gate a few days ago together with her manager, Ms. Tomoe Okada and said that he took the position of her assistant manager.

Kanon was so happy that she could have fainted there and then and she couldn't believe it when Keima said that he'll do what he can to help Kanon with her new single; that was his first assignment for now.

The time they spent walking to class together was the shortest and yet the longest walk in her entire life as she had spoken to Keima about her new single, Koi No Shirushi and Keima had asked straight of the bat whether it was written with him in mind.

It was embarrassing to admit so but it was true, she had indeed done so and she was honestly expecting him to be a little turned off.

Who knew what Keima would react to that after all but to her relief, Keima had seemed more embarrassed than anything else and he spent the next few minutes practically begging her to not do that ever again.

It was really quite funny to see that helpless expression on his face and Kanon became aware of how the others were staring at them for the first time.

She had been used to being in the centre of the spotlight for ages, being an idol had that 'perk' or that 'bane' after all but it was the first time in a long long time that she had been proud to be in the centre of that spotlight.

..

It was very embarrassing to admit but she had loved being in the centre of the spotlight till her fateful meeting with Keima and from then on she had tried to be modest about her success and not letting it get to her head.

It had worked out and Kanon found herself enjoying her time more in school despite still feeling a little pressured due to the constant stares and whispers around her. She could afford to be a little 'normal' instead of being flawless and according to her manager, it caused a mountain of change for her both mentally and physically.

Back to the topic however, it was the first time in ages that Kanon had not realized she was in the spotlight as she had totally forgotten that they were in school and it seemed like they were in their own world; something that had not happened since before she became an idol.

Another factor to be considered was that everyone else was staring at Keima instead of her and that made Kanon feel sorry for him. To his credit however, he just seemed sheepish when he realized that and said nothing more.

She wanted to bask in his presence, her pride of being seen with him was surprising... but it was the truth, she was proud and happy to be with him, to be seen with him and to bond with him even more. For he was the person that Kanon wanted to spend her life with after all.

'R-really? You aren't... joking right, Keima-kun!'

It seemed like she would get her wish after all as Kanon couldn't believe what she was hearing over the phone.

'MM! Then I'll see you after school tomorrow! I won't be late, so please don't be late too!'

Christmas has come early for the Idol Nakagawa Kanon as she kissed her phone in joy at hearing the news.

'I... I can't wait for tomorrow!'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Besides supporting the mangaka, support me by dropping a review after this chapter, pretty please? I would like to know what you felt after all this. It really gives me more motivation to churn more chapters out.**


	61. Growing Strength

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 61: Growing Strength**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: The reason this chapter was delayed was due to my mistake. That said, this chapter was brought to you with the help of _Kaiser Dude_, say thanks people!**

* * *

..

It was the day after their debut and nothing in the world could have prepared the 2B Pencils for the overwhelming and positive response from the entire school and to some extent, their little town.

Thanks to Keima's shrewd marketing strategies like posting on their Youtube and Twitter accounts during the concert itself, providing details of the songs, and subsequently uploading the sample recording of their gig, their followers were kept interested and waiting eagerly for the final upload of their video, which Keima conveniently neglected to do last night to ensure that the buzz and the hype surrounding them continued to the next day.

Thus the girls were literally swamped when they hit the streets the next day, and no matter where they walked, there was always someone who recognized them or were their fans.

..

_'Ah... you're from the 2B Pencils desho? When is the video on your gig going to be uploaded?'_

_'I love your voice, Chihiro-san! I won't miss the audition for the world!'_

_'Please, please, have more gigs!'_

_'Will you be going to THAT club more regularly now? If you do, I'll be sure to catch you there!'_

_'Neh neh, can you sign my book for me?'_

..

It wasn't just the girls, the boys were hard-pressed not to show interest on them and although they were loathed to show support openly, they did whisper to themselves whenever the girls passed them.

For the girl's part, all of them handled the situation better than Keima would have expected despite him drilling to them the importance of modesty and their image.

Prior to their debut and even immediately after it, Keima had encouraged them to raise their morale but at the same time was resolute in not letting success get to their head.

As he had put it bluntly: 'I don't want to be dealing with spoiled princesses.' and so the girls merely acknowledged their limited success in their own way.

..

Being the lead of the band with her vocals, Chihiro struggled hard within herself to not bask in the glory and instead chose to thank all of the people who approached her for their support and to tell them that she would be glad and flattered if they continued to support no only her but the other members as well.

'Everyone else is just as important and they did so much better than me... so please support them, especially Miyako; she works harder than anyone of us.'

Keima had wanted them to emphasize on Miyako, much to her protest but she was quickly overruled as all the girls agreed with his assessment.

She was in danger of being sidelined not only by themselves, but their listeners too and even if it might seem to be a campaign to raise awareness of Terada Miyako, the other girls voiced no objection and were glad to do that as it did help take some heat of their shoulders in the process.

There is such a thing as too much attention and some of the girls, like Ayumi, were glad to have a little less emphasis on them.

..

As mentioned, Ayumi wasn't too happy about the attention, and although she tried her best to avoid most of it like taking an alternative route to school, she was cornered the moment she stepped into the school grounds as her track team were all waiting for her to give their support.

It was probably for the best as well as the entire track team promised to cheer them and her on in the audition and Ayumi parted ways with them feeling much better and more confident about herself.

She hadn't been that active in the team since she started practising for real as she said she had wanted to take some personal time off from practise.

That said, she did pop by for a quick run or two in the track team every day and despite her preference to keep matters about the 2B Pencils private, most of the track team have heard of her participation in the band.

Most of them were supportive and even the minority of them who objected at the start were wowed over by their sample performance and wanted to know more.

It was gratifying that Ayumi found so many friends to support her desire to go all out for the 2B Pencils, and with their support, she knew that she couldn't stop now, not when she had gone on so far.

..

Haqua was literally bombarded with fans as she headed to school; she was the most approachable of all the 2B Pencils as she wasn't very used to dealing with people in general and they mistook her awkwardness for friendliness.

That said, she managed to keep Keima's advice to heart and just smiled and thanked everyone who approached her, even those overzealous fans who asked if they could shake her hand.

Unfortunately it had really become some sort of tagline or a trend for Haqua to do that as in her self-introduction when she transferred in she had asked if anyone wished to shake her hand, in her opinion what must be a common self-introduction.

Of course when Haqua realized it was her misconception and error, the damage was done and Haqua had to live with the fact that there were people who were DYING to shake her hand.

It kind of flattered her, kind of as it was really freaky to know such people existed.

That said, Haqua was both embarrassed and happy about the attention she received as she knew that it was in recognition of her effort that really made her day.

Unlike a certain human who would find ways to inflate and deflate her ego in a single sentence.

..

Life has changed drastically for Terada Miyako as due to Keima's efforts, people started recognizing her in a single glance. Whether it was a ploy to get Miyako off his trail remains to be seen but right now Miyako seemed content to let sleeping dogs lie as she bowed politely to everyone just like before.

Fame has not gotten into her head and she was just as bit as reserved to strangers as she was before.

Besides offering polite smiles and indulging in chatter with a few individuals, Terada Miyako remained the same as she was before, content to be by herself even if there were people interested in walking with her to school.

In a certain way if you look at it, Miyako was really behaving like a celebrity by keeping her private life private, which was the best thing to do as idols and celebrities were tied to the image that people created for them.

It is similar to the situation surrounding Keima, known to be the **Capturing God** and yet at the same time to be the Oamegane depending on the person's perspective.

Hence, Terada Miyako's stock value rose greatly as people were aware of a new side of Miyako that no one else had saw before.

* * *

..

For Elsi, everything was exactly like it was the day before; nothing has changed for her... at least on the surface as Elsi found herself a little more anxious about the day ahead.

Elsi was a popular girl in school as her natural air-headedness and cheerfulness brightened up everyone's day and she had friends with both seniors, juniors and of her own age level.

Ever since the announcement of involvement of the 2B Pencils, Elsi had seen her friends react positively to her exploits in the 2B Pencils but the effects of her fans and followers were blunted and ignored due to her close proximity with Keima.

Sure, everyone had become resigned in having the Oamegane being their manager and his stock value HAS increased considerably seeing the amount of work that he did with their influence.

Interestingly enough even the teachers were happy to have him more involved in a club activity as it seemed to have funnelled some of his creativity into something beneficial.

The student body itself agreed with that as well and chants and calls for the Otamegane dropped significantly, as they acknowledged him to be quite a good manager despite their reservations. The student council in particular was torn between exasperation at his methods and joy at how the publicity and recognition for their event being highly hyped in town due tohis efforts.

Amusingly however, everyone thought that the 2B Pencils were the one responsible in shaping and changing Keima to be a better person when it was the exact opposite.

Either way, besides a bombardment of mails from her friends, Elsi remained the same as always, polite and compliant to a fault.

The difference came in Keima as he were more aggressive and protective of Elsi, and she even had to calm Keima down when a few boys started to hit on Elsi right in front of him.

Sure, he was occupied playing his games, but that was no excuse for them to _hit on his sister_ as if it was an open invitation.

For Elsi's part, she was shocked, and yet happy at the fashion Keima was treating her, and to be honest with herself, she was akin to a princess being guarded by her knight. She blushed red whenever Keima barred his fangs around anyone who dared to make a wrong move towards Elsi.

Now to others his actions might not be much as Keima simply told them off, interrupting their attempt in striking conversation with Elsi and hauling her off with him but to Keima, it was akin to shouting himself hoarse and screaming death threats to them.

Elsi only saw Keima so worked up when she was accosted by those guys that had beat up Keima and this was the first time that he had willingly taken her hand for any duration.

Even if he did release her hand after they were in the clear, Elsi realized how popular she was when they were approached within the next few minutes as although nothing ever happened.

..

For Keima, he was getting disturbed at how popular her sister was as he did not account for Elsi's popularity. Much of his thought had been directed towards Ayumi and her insecurity and he had been completely caught blind-sided as to how to react to Elsi being hit on by other boys.

It disturbed him so much that he was unable to concentrate on his games, surely a first as they reached school in one piece and when they eventually did reach class, they were greeted with a gaggle of students surrounding Ayumi's desk as the helpless girl was unable to, and was too polite to get them to go away.

..

'Good morning, Takahara.'

Speaking gruffly as he dumped his bag unceremoniously on his table, Keima parted the group, literally by squeezing his way to Ayumi and pulling her away after announcing that they have to talk.

'Where's Kosaka and Terada?'

Ayumi was a little red at being pulled out by the hand by Keima but she recovered easily to inform him that the two girls had retreated earlier to their clubroom to store their equipment. Keima nodded in acknowledgement before backtracking and pulling Elsi with them, much to the protest of their classmates who wanted more juicy details from them.

'Let's go, we should probably avoid such... commotions for the time being.'

Keima's presence was a welcome one for the girls as they granted them a certain degree of immunity to crowds as they were loathed or unable to hold a conversation with Keima long.

With the exception of the girl who bumped into them before they were able to make a clean getaway.

'Ah, Good morning, Katsuragi-san, Katsuragi-chan and Takahara-san.'

Yoshino Asami bowed to them briefly before mentioning to them that she was a fan and would love to hear from them again.

'It's all thanks to Keima-kun that we were able to get so good...'

Ayumi admitted with a blush while shaking away Keima's hand, something that Asami noted before nodding her head.

'I'm sure that you feel that you could do anything with Katsuragi-san behind your back, Takahara-san.'

Keima was unsure how to disengage this conversation and was saved by a panicked cry at the other end of the corridor.

..

'Katsuragi!'

It was Haqua and she was still unable to get away from the fan girls who were adamant to follow her and by using her as a diversion, all three of them were able to slip away from Yoshino Asami who seemed perplexed and a little disappointed at them taking their leave.

'Thank goodness you're here, where are all of you going?'

As the mob of people slowly left their side, Haqua was the subject of some teasing from Elsi and Ayumi as they headed towards their clubroom, equipment in tow behind them.

'Getting out stuff ready for the practise today; there's barely a week before the audition, I trust that all of you are more confident after yesterday, no?'

Keima smiled in gratification as the three of them nodded and they went to their clubroom in a comfortable silence that none of them wanted to break.

* * *

..

Once there, Keima filled the girls in on what he had done the previous night and all of them were shocked at how effective his marketing campaign has been as their followers had doubled in number overnight and that was not counting the amount of ;ikes and comments on their Youtube channel.

Naturally, all wasn't rosy for them as there had been a few loyal supporters of the Singing Wizards that had lashed out at them for stealing their stage, and a few who were generally criticizing their band and their methods.

However, they did well in overall and when it was coming from Keima, all the girls pumped their hands up in the air as a sign of victory.

'Alright! Let's try to do better next time!'

'Mm mm~ we should review the recordings to see what we can improve on.'

'I think I should get some tea later on... my throat doesn't feel that good.'

'Mm mm~ I'll prepare some tea for us later, don't you worry!'

Such was their excitement that only Miyako heard Keima mentioning about how he wouldn't be able to make it to the practise session today.

'You can't, Katsuragi?'

Sounding a little disappointed and not to mention suspicious, Miyako got the girls attention and all of them turned to look at Keima who nodded a little unhappily.

'I have a prior engagement with someone else. It was a sudden request but I wanted to get it over and done with to free more time nearing the audition. That said, I've prepared the materials for the practise and I expect all of them to be utilized.'

Passing Chihiro the tapes of their gig as well as individual folders for all of them, Keima looked away when Elsi asked suddenly.

'You're going to see Kanon-chan today aren't you?'

It was not a question and all of the girls seemed to catch on but surprisingly it was Takahara Ayumi who broke the ice and nodded her head.

'It can't be helped I guess, we'll have to work harder without you around, Keima-kun, right everyone?'

..

Ayumi didn't like it either but all of them knew that they have to be resigned to the fact that Keima was allowed to have his own personal time after all and considering the work he had done with the logistics, planning and preparations for the gig as well as their practises, they couldn't force him to stay.

Even if he was helping their rival, Kanon.

'But don't be surprised if we become better than Kanon-chan, Keima-kun.'

Ayumi added with a playful tone and all of them laughed, breaking the tension much to the Keima's relief.

* * *

..

The situation was perhaps a little direr than he imagined it to be ,and it was with a heavy heart did he check his mailbox to see it contained a couple of messages from Kanon.

She wasn't able to attend school today and she wished for them to meet at the train station where they would be taken to the recording studio.

Yes, Katsuragi Keima was going to pay a visit, a home visit of sorts to Ms. Okada Tomoe's home turf to see what plans she had for him and Kanon.

Kanon's infatuation for him has no doubt increased over the few days they had interacted with each other and it was getting more dangerous for him to stay so near Kanon. There was no way for her manager to know that however, and Keima wanted first-hand information about the situation at hand before deciding on the best course of action.

..

'…'

Keima paused in mid-step as he realized that someone was staring at him from a distance and he looked up from his game to see Nikaido Yuri standing in front of him in the other end of the corridor and he swallowed nervously.

Nikaido Yuri, an enigma even for him as she had displayed characteristics and behavior that hinted that she might know more than she was letting on and Keima approached with concern and apprehensiveness till they were side by side each other as their paths crossed.

'Have you forgotten what is important to you?'

She whispered softly as Keima walked past her but as she made no attempt to continue the conversation or to stop him, Keima was unsure whether those words were meant for him or they were mumbled to herself.

Even so, despite the confusing message, Katsuragi Keima asked himself that question.

Had he... really forgotten what was important to him after all?

..

'I did not.'

Coming to the conclusion after a moment's consideration, Keima turned around and wasn't surprised to see Nikaido Yuri still hovering in front of him and he spoke out bravely against his own instincts, determined to let her hear his words.

'I did not forget what is most important. Even if there might be sacrifices that I have to make during the duration... I have determined that this path is the right one; one that would reduce the number of causalities that we have suffered so far.'

Keima paused as Nikaido Yuri's footsteps got slower by just a tad and he continued while pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

'I've seen the ending of this story and even if I might not be able to peel away the veil of mystery that surrounds the truth; I will save all of them; that is my promise to the world.'

There wasn't a visible response from Nikaido Yuri as she walked away, at least to Keima anyway but she did mutter to herself quietly.

'I await your results.'

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R people, btw, new poll time! And do you like my new covers? I wish they can enlarge it though so you could see the hard work I put in them...**


	62. Conspiracies

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 62: Conspiracies**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: This chapter is brought to you with help from _Kaiser Dude_. Say thanks everyone!**

* * *

..

If there was one thing that Katsuragi Keima disliked it was being manipulated. Kinda ironic in a sense as he was the master of manipulation as he was able to make so many girls fall for him and his track record in real life wasn't that shabby either.

That said, Keima was forced to retrace those same footsteps that his conquests might have taken as he headed for his rendezvous with Nakagawa Kanon.

The Kanon fanclub has more or less given up on trying to get answers from him although he was still the target of many die-hard fans who glared at him and made rude gestures whenever no one was watching.

It was kind of hilarious and entertaining though, but Keima did not pay much attention to them at all.

All of them were concerned about the relationship she had with him, and he wanted to scream at some point that he should be the one worried about their relationship.

Sure, Kanon has stabilized somewhat after her capture, but Keima would never EVER be able to look at a stun-gun or Taser without flinching and who could blame him?

Nakawaga Kanon was the girl who had stalked him and was determined to make him _fall in love with her_. He couldn't stress that enough as the saying: 'There's no such thing as a free lunch' came true big time and Keima never felt as threatened then as he did now.

She was a yandere girl, at least she did display signs of that and those girls were the hardest and easiest to capture and break a relationship with.

Thankfully though at this point of time, Nakagawa Kanon was not showing any of those traits and Keima could breathe easy.

'Ah, Keima-kun!'

As he reached the station, Keima heard someone call out to him and he turned around trying to locate that voice till he spot a hooded figure waving at him excitedly as she hid herself near the bicycle stands beside the train station.

Spotting the traces of pink hair that was covered and hidden by the hoodie, Keima was sure that was Kanon and when the person clamped her hands around his when he approached, his suspicions were confirmed and he greeted the teenage idol with a nod.

'Good afternoon, Kanon.'

'Good afternoon, Keima-kun~'

Cheerfully returning his greeting, Kanon asked him about his day as she guided her over to a car that was parked at the side.

'I'm so excited that you agreed to come and visit, Keima-kun! My schedule was packed only in the morning so we can spare some time today for me to take Keima-kun around the studio.'

Yes, Katsuragi Keima was visiting the studio where Nakagawa Kanon was based in today and from the small and triumphant smile on Ms Okada Tomoe's face, it was exactly where she wanted him to be.

..

'Good afternoon.'

Keima bowed stiffly to her before getting into the car together with Kanon; the idol seemingly surprised at how Keima knew her manager, but Okada covered that up easily by saying that Keima would have done his research before suggesting he visit the studio.

'Isn't that right, Katsuragi?'

'That's right.'

'But... how did Ms. Okada know Keima-kun's name?'

Kanon asked curiously as the car drove off silently with Ms. Okada behind the wheel and the two teenagers seating in the backseat.

'I'm sure that you mentioned me to Ms Okada before, Kanon.'

It was Keima's turn to help Okada with the issue and after a few more exchanges, Kanon seemed satisfied and Keima breathed a sigh of relief while asking her about _her_ schedule for the day.

'Here, I took down notes for you.'

It wasn't difficult for him to play the part of a perfect companion and Kanon smiled happily while thanking him for that.

'It's so sweet of you, Keima-kun~'

Kanon cooed while hugging the notebook that she had received from Keima like it was her most important treasure. Character break much? Kanon was really a girl in love, too deeply and madly in love as the girl in front of him had lost most of her main defining points.

That wasn't a bad thing per-se as they all say that everyone change when they fall in love but it was a dangerous situation for Keima as he knew that the more she fell in love with him, the more difficult it was for him to reject or to ignore her.

Kanon was like a chain that was slowly but surely wrapping themselves around him, and with Okada Tomoe in full control of those chains, Keima knew that sooner or later he could not escape from the grasps of these two women whether he liked it or not.

The situation was dire but he was the **Capturing God**, there was nothing he couldn't have anticipated and he hoped that his contingency plan was working well at the moment.

* * *

..

The girls knew that; It was going to be different without Katsuragi Keima around but none of them realized how different it was when all of them gathered together in the clubroom after school.

Ordinarily the girls would gather together after lessons and after Haqua arrived from her own class, to head off to the clubroom as one. It didn't seem like much at first but it was only in his absence did the girls realize that they were really rallying around him and Chihiro.

The two of them were fond of discussing their plans for the day out loud for the benefit of the group and as a result projected and painted a reliable and confident picture of the future for everyone else to believe in.

Keima was right in saying that the girls looked up to Chihiro for leadership as deep inside, all of them were insecure about their own abilities.

Despite Ayumi's cheerful face, she was severely affected by her bad encounter with the Singing Wizards and was doubting her own playing ability as she struggled with the nagging question of looks versus ability inside her own mind.

Elsi, although enthusiastic, was one of the few individuals who knew and accepted that she was the stumbling block in the group, and despite her eagerness and willingness to hard work, it was difficult to erase the doubts that she might have accumulated inside her.

Miyako might be reserved, but she has her own doubts about her own ability as well, and this was one of the few reasons that Keima tried hard to 'highlight' and 'market' Miyako as aggressively as possible as Keima wanted the 'normal' girl to have faith in herself and the 2B Pencils.

Haqua had no confidence issues but she was the person most likely to call it quits if there was no future. Her pride was her stumbling block and everyone knew that she was too good for this band and was hanging around only due to Keima and Elsi's presence here.

In fact, if not for the fact that Keima had tried to fight for the first S: Sisterhood, the 2B Pencils... weren't going too far if they did not improve as they did.

With their improvements however, their bond and friendship had gotten much much stronger and that was partly why the girls rallied around Chihiro after she sniffed unhappily and pulled out the binder that she had received from Keima earlier.

..

'Although it kills me to quote Katsuragi, I guess we should go through what he prepared for us today.'

Sighing dramatically, Chihiro coaxed few laughs from the girls as she pulled out the tape that Keima had thoughtfully prepared with their recording last night too and played it.

As the girls sat around the old tape-recorder and listened to the playback, all of them felt exhilarated as it was much, much better than they could have imagined and hoped and all of them were smiling from ear to ear without realizing.

It wasn't just their playing that touched them, the cheers and whistles from the crowd, audible even in the tape made them feel better as well just as if they were there again standing on the stage and looking down at their first audience.

'… I guess we did pretty well yesterday night...'

Chihiro nodded to herself and she scowled when Miyako immediately quipped a reply.

'Now now, you shouldn't let success get to your head, Chihiro-chan~'

'You're one to talk! Who was the one who refused a signature today huh? That girl looked like she was about to cry, Miyako!'

The girls started teasing each other again for a few seconds before Haqua cleared her throat to gather their attention again.

'We really should get back to work studying the tape.'

Haqua mumbled while pulling out a sheet of paper detailing some mistakes in their playing that Keima had spotted and she passed the duplicated copies to the girls.

'He did all this for us, so we should not let him down right?'

Haqua spoke evenly and all of them nodded, united under the **Capturing God's** name yet again even if they did not realize it.

* * *

..

Keima was enjoying himself and it was with a little hesitation that he admitted that. He assumed that Okada Tomoe has indeed did her homework and the entire itinerary was planned by her to make the short tour around the studio seem as appealing as possible to him and to his dismay, it had gone exactly her way.

He could not help it as Keima had been allowed to tour and even look in at how some of his favourite voice actors did their recording.

Kanon was with him of course but as the studio for recording scripts were the same as those that she did her album recordings in, Kanon didn't find anything wrong as they spent some time looking and learning about the equipment from the staff that were there.

It was an enlightening experience and despite Keima reading up and knowing a little about how to record songs and to edit the music, the professionals were of course on a different level than where he was and he spend some time asking them questions on their equipment and of course the most important things to look for when recording or editing the things that they recorded.

That said, the highlight of the day was when Kanon brought him to sit in and listen to one of her vocal training sessions with her instructor.

The instructor was a well-known but retired artist and with her guidance, Kanon started with the basic voice-strengthening lessons that he had instructed Chihiro to do before following with different exercises designed to help Kanon with her projection, the proper way to use her voice and of course, a session where the instructor would help Kanon adjust her voice by using hers as a comparison.

..

By asking Kanon to sing a particular phrase from her new song, she was able to help and advise Kanon on whether she should change the way she sang that particular note.

As she had great experience, Kanon's instructor was able to pick up on minute discrepancies like how Kanon's voice trembled a little when she dragged a word too long and she gave advise and worked with Kanon till she nailed the right way to sing.

Even so, the staff were pleasantly surprised at the level of knowledge and understanding that Keima had about their line of work and they congratulated Kanon on finding such a talented individual out of the blue as Keima were able to pick up on some similar mistakes spotted by the instructor.

That made her take interest in Keima and while Keima was listening to her lecture on how the human voice worked, the common weaknesses and methods as requested by Keima, Okada Tomoe pulled Kanon to the side to speak with her privately for a while.

She had no idea on Kanon's interest in voice-acting and she had been a little concerned about how Kanon had been just as interested in them as Keima was. Okada was Kanon's manager of course and she knew exactly what the girl was thinking.

'Well... With all due respect, Ms. Okada, they are a source of inspiration to me. I've begun to admire their works thanks to Keima-kun... and yes, yes, Thank you for letting him come by on such a short notice!'

Hugging Okada, Kanon's smile was what she worked for and the hard-working and long-suffering manager simply smiled and petted her head while continuing to her real reason for pulling Kanon away.

She had been pleased that her research and hard-work had paid off and the boy, Katsuragi Keima had seemed interested in what she and Kanon had to offer.

.

She herself knew that it was a dirty trick, something that could be pulled off in a serial drama and she wondered not for the first time if she was just dreaming and that she wasn't Nakagawa Kanon's manager.

Kanon's meteoric rise to the top had seemed too good to be true, and at times she really wondered if it was or Kanon that was blessed. Still, Kanon had been hard-working, obedient and most importantly, true to herself as everything she said had been the truth regardless of why she had started singing, why she decided to be an idol while still having classes and it had showed as Japan loved her truthful, somewhat childish and yet serious nature when it comes to her work.

She had decided a long time ago to help carry everything that Kanon's shoulders were carrying as it was all part and parcel of her job. No, itwas more than that, she viewed Kanon as a surrogate daughter to nurture and guide to be who she wanted to be, not some generic idol who goes on talk-shows to embarrass themselves.

That was what she thought and she was embarrassed to admit that she had not foreseen or had noticed the stress and uneasiness that she faced in the concert and she was very relieved when she came back at the last possible minute to perform in her first ever concert.

Hence, she had been sceptical of this Katsuragi Keima that Kanon had become infatuated with, and was determined to separate them till she realized how much this boy meant to her.

Her goals in life had changed and although disheartening, does involve that boy at some point. As she had sworn to help carry the baggage Kanon had no matter what, she couldn't make herself or to force herself to break those two apart.

Especially when she can see that the boy had no bad intentions and truly did not care about Kanon's status, something that Okada did not expect.

There were gold-diggers who had approached Kanon before but most of them didn't even make it past her and for those that did, Kanon flatly refused them without any negative press, a feat by itself.

..

After doing her research, it had been clear that Katsuragi Keima was a person that was suitable for Kanon and was even capable of being at her side if he so wished to as he had been very successful in helping this unknown girl-band, 2B Pencils, make a good getaway in the little town they are located in.

Now, Okada Tomoe was a manager in the showbiz industry and she could spot a fluke a mile-away, individuals or groups that were just a flash-in-the-pan or were simply those who had their small moment of fame... but this girl-band, 2B Pencils were gaining fans not because of their publicity or their novelty but by the marketing and advertising tactics that were done perfectly, spectacularly even.

Even if they were textbook samples of how they could attract people; it wasn't easy to pull off, especially not for an amateur, and not on such a scale.

Okada knew that it was easy for someone to manipulate a school's poll by aggressive and effective polling campaigns and election promises but it was another thing to get everyone talking and gossiping about a girl-band without ANY negative, scandalous or juicy details, which this high-school boy somehow did.

Now, Okada Tomoe wasn't fond of blowing someone else's horn but she could see talent and skill when she sees one, and this Katsuragi Keima had the talent, if not the skill, yet, necessary to be a real manager in the industry.

Hence her underhanded and aggressive methods in trying to persuade him to join them; the bonus was that Katsuragi Keima's presence would in fact help Kanon tremendously.

'We can have him over any time if he is willing to. He is a talented individual and many of the staff is impressed by him.'

It was true; the boy had received positive reviews and questions from the people who he had talked to, especially in the recording room where they had asked where this kid had appeared from.

From the amount of attention that he is placing and receiving from Kanon's instructor, he must have sufficiently engaged her or had intrigued her to spend some of her precious time with him.

Contacts are a business man's best friend and from the look of things, the boy had a knack for making contacts as well.

'It's not easy for Horie-san to be impressed, remember how long it took for her to agree to help you, Kanon-chan? But look, Katsuragi seems to be holding well by himself.'

'mm mm... I didn't know... that Keima-kun was so knowledgeable... that's why he was able to get the 2B Pencils to get better... desho?'

It was troubling to see that look in Kanon's face, the one she gets when she's feeling troubled. Looks like even she had heard of the 2B Pencils and despite their lack of talent and experience, Katsuragi was able to pull those girls together very well indeed.

Their debut performance was apparently very well done and executed and she was disappointed that she wasn't there live to judge their performance first-hand to access their threat level.

..

Yes, their threat level as to Okada Tomoe and to a certain extent, Nakagawa Kanon, the 2B Pencils were genuine rivals in this little town and Kanon's school.

They had nothing to gain but plenty to lose while their rivals had everything to gain and nothing to lose by challenging Nakagawa Kanon, THE aspiring top idol.

This wasn't about fame or about prestige but their self-confidence... if by a chance or a fluke, the 2B Pencils were able to out-perform Kanon on the Mai-High festival; it would mean a screeching halt for the aspiring top idol and Okada could see the headlines now:

..

**Teen Idol Outperformed by School Band**

That... was indeed the worse-case scenario, something that she would NEVER allow.

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: It's a little depressing that BRP has ended but I'm all caught up on MW's so the chapters will keep on coming!  
All I want for the anniversary is a TVtropes page~ :laughs weakly:  
**

**Oh right, my poll IS important!  
**


	63. Hidden Sides

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 63: Hidden Sides**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser dude_ for the excellent beta-read! So I heard that Fuse Aoba might be in the manga too? I called dibs though! Ahaha~**

* * *

**..  
**

The day wasn't over yet for any of them yet and after his short chat with Kanon's teacher, Keima was led to her private studio. As expected of a rising star, Kanon had her own private studio that her manager had rented for her use and Keima was ushered into the recording room to be introduced to the staff that helped Kanon with her daily work.

These included not only the recording staff but her promotion crew as well, dedicated men and women who were constantly on the phone or on the web handling her publicity, promotion, and not to mention managing the Kanon-fan club that was set up by the idol managing company.

Yes, Kanon was hired and signed under a particular managing agency but her fame and her influence had spread so much that she was able to renegotiate a new contract with her agency. With millions of dollars at stake and with Okada Tomoe's bargaining for more benefits, Kanon had come out of the new contract as the beneficiary as Okada used her fans to encourage the agency to give Kanon more freedom.

Like Keima would say, image is everything and the publicity team was also tasked with searching and deleting unfavourable rumours about Kanon, and he spent some time speaking with them about her current contracts, her release dates and most importantly her profile page on the popular social networking websites.

..

'Well, we all know that Nakagawa Kanon isn't her real name, she uses an alias so it's important for us to have full control of any unauthorized comments coming from 'Nakagawa Kanon'.'

A man that looked to be around to be in his 30s explained to Keima and the **Capturing God** nodded his head in agreement.

'That is to ensure that everything she says, whether it is in her private life is a 'politically accurate'?'

All of them looked a little awkward at that as Keima stared back at them, challenging them to say otherwise but even he was caught by surprise when everyone else laughed after a while, some of them clutching their stomachs in pain as they doubled over in laughter.

'Gomen gomen. That was a test, Katsuragi... we won't moderate her own personal blog. We're not dictating her life... I know her fans wouldn't want that... but Katsuragi, you really... do like Kanon-chan don't you?'

His question made Kanon turn red but Keima wasn't even phased by the question as he simply nodded slowly for his answer.

'Kanon is someone important to me. I would help her in whatever way necessary.'

His gaze hardened and almost everyone present was impressed with his resolution with the exception of Okada Tomoe who spoke up suddenly to the surprise of everyone around.

'Well said, but would you be willing to throw everything away for Kanon? All of us are fans of Kanon, we are her number one fans and we work together to bring out the best in Kanon, that is the reason we are here. What about you, Katsuragi?'

There was no model answer for this sudden question but it seemed that Keima got very close as he simple shrugged while looking at Kanon reading her lines in the recording room by herself.

'I'm here because I want Kanon to be herself, to show the world what she really wants them to see regardless of whether how right or wrong it was. If you are a fan of Kanon, then that makes me someone who thinks of Kanon as someone who cannot be replaced and yet cannot be obtained. She does not belong to me nor do I deserve her. What I can do is to only support what she wishes to do... not what is best for her.'

It was the same reasons that he had rejected or 'captured' Kanon a long time back and the same reason that he was unable to shake Kanon free and to reject her completely.

If she was able to shine brightly, to be at her best with him by her side... he never once thought that he was insignificant but he never once imagined how and why he became a significant someone to someone else.

That was his error as since he is the **Capturing God, **there would be individuals who would be captured and hence viewed him as important.

Right now that person was Kanon, someone who was willing to give up everything to be with him, something that he had rejected.

He doesn't have a right to have Kanon; Kanon is someone who belongs to the world, to herself.

..

'… That's why, if that is what you think is right... I don't think we can get along well at all.'

Keima's words echoed around the room and despite his harsh words and him challenging all of them who were his seniors with years of experience working with Kanon, all of them applauded his words.

'My, my, that's something you don't hear every day.'

'Kids nowadays... I thought they were a hopeless bunch but once in a while we get some passionate kids huh?'

'Kanon-chan is really lucky to have someone like him looking over her.'

'You might be selfish, stuck up and a rude brat... but you got your values in the right place. I like that.'

'Be sure not to let Kanon-chan cry 'kay? I won't forgive you if you do that!'

'… I lost to you... tsk, to think that I would meet someone who could rival my love for Kanon-chan!'

The entire recording room was abuzz with activity and discussion about Keima and he found himself being pulled into the work as well as the publicity team shared with him more information regarding their work and even consulting and asking his opinion on several matters regarding her schedule.

Only one person was less than impressed by him and that person was the one who had raised the question in the first place, Okada Tomoe.

It sounded like defiance and a rebuttal to what she viewed as important and she sighed before contemplating his words. At least now she knew why her research had been so misleading, this was a side of him that he rarely if ever showed to others public ally.

With a flair of dramatization coupled with an uncanny flair for showmanship, not to mention how he was able to find the right words for the situation, Katsuragi Keima was someone just as manipulative as she was and she wondered what had she gotten herself into.

Instead of her dominating and guiding the boy deeper into her trap, he was slowly but surely changing the rules of the game. This was her home turf but it seemed that he was willing to challenge her authority here as well.

'…'

This was an unexpected development but in a way Okada Tomoe was one step closer in persuading the boy to stay with Kanon as if he was willing to express his own thoughts about the matter to her crew, this signifies that at least for now, the boy was willing to open up and to put his skills and talent to good use.

Okada hated to waste talent and nothing riles her up than seeing someone not put in all his or her efforts into something.

Just you wait, she would get Katsuragi Keima to work with them permanently, like it or not!

* * *

..

_Kanon herself was very happy at having and seeing Keima getting along and adapting quite well to the foreign environment. She knew that Keima was very knowledgeable in many aspects but even she was surprised at how easily he was able to speak with the various elders and seniors that she herself couldn't really relate to._

_Kanon wasn't surprised to see them looking a little bewildered and later sceptical at how he voiced his comments but as they continued conversing with each other, Kanon was happy to see Keima being accepted quite readily into their circle, to a certain degree as they weren't really friends but could be considered as colleagues, people working in the same field._

_Naturally she knew about the 2B Pencils and had been following their progress for quite some time. She had mixed feelings about them as she knew that they were 'rivals' in that sense, they had made a promise to perform at the Mai-High festival together and... that promise and wager she had with Katsuragi-kun made it even harder for her to ignore them._

_Even if Keima was the 2B Pencil's manager, Kanon didn't know or wanted to believe how efficient and effective he was in managing them. She had wrongly assumed that the 2B Pencil's fame were mostly gimmicky at best and she regretted playing down their ability as with Keima's help, Kanon could tell that they were getting much better than before._

_She had listened to their first 'live' performance in school by sheer chance and although they seemed decent, Kanon was ashamed to admit that she didn't think they were going to make it past the audition._

_Instead of being friendly rivals, Kanon had hoped that they wouldn't be able to compete against her at all... that wasn't sportsmanship at all, and she really wanted to apologize to them._

_Compounding the problem was how she felt betrayed when Keima had started helping the 2B Pencils instead of her. It had seemed so unfair that he would rather help them, an undeveloped girl band when she wanted him by her side... it was then that Kanon realized that she was bitterly jealous over the 2B Pencils._

..

_Now it was a tough journey to get where Kanon is right now and it took a long time with many setbacks, delays and betrayals for her to be the aspiring Top Idol that she is now._

_Having her debut in Citron as a sidelined member, slowly working her way up to be the main lead and finally breaking away from them to try and reach the top by herself... Kanon knew that she had betrayed many people, her then-closest friends as well as her old manager to reach where she has now._

_In contrast to her traumatic and drama-filled career, the 2B Pencils had a great start and the best help they could find. Compared to her... they...were so lucky... to have everyone support her, everyone's attention on her and most importantly, have someone they can rely on._

_'… Kanon-chan?'_

_Something must have seemed off and Kanon heard Ms Yui, one of her recording staff call her over the intercom and she started slightly before tilting her head towards her in the recording room._

_'Yes, Ms Yui?'_

_'Is there something wrong? Do you feel alright? If you're sick we can take a small breather...'_

_They were supposed to be recording a new song to be included in her next album but she must have had her heads in the cloud for too long as she didn't even notice them cueing her over in the recording room._

_Pulling her headphones down, Kanon hesitated for a moment before nodding her head._

_'I'm sorry... can I have a glass of water?'_

_'Mm! I'll get someone to get you some.'_

_Kanon felt guilty at feeling this way, she wanted to be more than that, more than this... jealous girl who is looking at the 2B Pencils in the distance when she has everything she could ask for now._

_Or was everything she ever wanted, was just Keima's attention on her... just like how he was doing now?_

_It was a horrible thought, something that was really... really horrible and Kanon turned pale again before smiling weakly to herself._

_That's... really what she wanted after all, wasn't it? That's why... she was happy taking him away from those girls. Those girls who had him ALL to themselves..._

..

_'… Kanon-chan, here you go.'_

_The assistant, Ms Kana noticed Kanon smiling a little oddly but the moment Kanon sensed her presence she smiled just like how she usually did like nothing had happened._

_'Thank you Ms Kana, thank you...'_

_She wasn't seeing things; that was for sure as Kanon seemed a little off as she drank the water and looked fondly back at the boy she had brought here with her._

* * *

..

'Alright, let's take it from the top!'

Cheering the girls on as they did their third practice for the day with the new song that Keima had prepared for them for the audition. The amount of information that he had prepared for them had been unbelievable and it had taken a while for them to read the individual comments, tips and of course recommendations for them as a whole to better prepare themselves for the audition in less than a week.

There was only a limited time for them to get better and although it might kill Keima to admit that, they had progressed beyond what he had imagined them to be capable of... perhaps they really had the talent to play after all.

All they had to do now was to polish up their skills and to get rid of some small flaws that Keima noted in their individual style of playing.

With his recommendation, the girls recorded and taped down each of their practice session and listened to them afterwords while comparing them to the original song that Keima provided.

Yes, the 2B Pencils were not singing an original song but it was nothing new was it? They weren't a professional band and they weren't making any profits by performing.

That said, Keima did go consult the student council on this issue and thankfully they saw no problem with them performing songs that were performed by other artists.

Of course it would be best if they made and composed their own songs but at this point of time, composing and writing the lyrics would take too long.

An advantage of using an existing song was that they could compare their performance with the original and adapt their own style or modifications to them if necessary.

..

'… It feels odd though... singing a song from an Anime.'

Ayumi remarked as they took a breather after their last practice session for the day and Miyako shrugged while replying her.

'It can't be helped, can it? I mean... it's not like we could write an original song now...'

It was a challenge if anyone saw it and Miyako started when Chihiro floated that idea to the girls.

'It can be a song that ALL of us write together! How about that? It'll certainly give us a benefit... I mean, even if we do well it's partly because of us copying the original artist desho?'

Chihiro had felt a little inadequate after hearing about how the Singing Wizards were planning to release their first single soon and it had made her feel just a tad guilty at enjoying so much success.

Sure, she couldn't choose her fan base but she was certain that quite a portion of their newly gained fans were people who got interested in them purely due to the songs that they sang.

Still, she couldn't fault Keima's choice of songs and she was really very touched by some of the songs that Keima picked, especially Sweet & Bitter Beauty Song as it had was the PERFECT song to show what they really felt and she had great fun singing the song, not to mention how much emotion she had poured into it during her first ever debut.

Chihiro could still remember how her heart was pounding when she started singing and she was close to panicking till she saw Ayumi nodding to her in the corner of her eye and she just let loose sang with all her heart anyway.

It was still fuzzy, the time she spent singing seemed to go by in a flash and with the song lasting around 4 minutes, it really was and it still surprised her how everything seemed to go off without a hitch.

'I guess we could try...'

Speaking out, Elsi agreed while packing her guitar and the normally reserved girl smiled as she thought that it'll be nice if it would be a love song.

'Kind of like what Kanon's new single is about, neh?'

It was rare for her to have an opinion on something and Chihiro nodded in agreement. It wouldn't hurt and she would rather have a song with a slow beat anyway.

'Well then I guess we are in agreement on this? Does anyone have any objections?'

Looking around, Chihiro was glad to see everyone nodding in agreement and she signalled the end of their practice session before asking if anyone wanted to grab a bite to eat and the all of them agreed happily.

After all, they were as close as sisters now weren't they.

* * *

..

'Thank you for coming down today, Keima-kun.'

Bowing to him as they left the studio, Kanon was glad to see Keima shaking hands and receiving pats on the shoulders from her the members of her crew and she was heartened when she saw him bowing back to them in respect for their skills and abilities as well as what they had taught him today.

'It's nothing.'

Now that they were alone, sitting together in the lobby as they waited for Okada Tomoe to fetch them back home, Kanon scooted closer to Keima before leaning against him slowly so as to not spook the boy.

He had gone back to his games once again and right now Keima could see the image of a girl reflected on his glasses as he sped through his game and she asked him quietly if he had ever taken what she said into consideration.

'What is it that you are speaking of Kanon?'

Speaking softly as his hands never stopped, Keima paused in his actions when Kanon replied about her newfound dream to be a voice actor.

'I... do want to give it a try. Perhaps not full time... but... I am really going to retire from the scene...'

'Don't do that.'

Kanon blinked as Keima replied immediately. The **Capturing God **realized that she had not heard the speech that he had delivered earlier and he replied her while putting his PFP down and looking straight into her eyes.

'I said this before Kanon... but I do not deserve... you at all. I am not the one that should dominate your feelings. Nor do I wish to be the one influencing you to abandon what you should do, what you have been doing so far.'

'It is _my_ new dream, Keima-kun... it is still something that I want to do... you said that you would do anything that would help me achieve what I _want_ to do... right?'

So she _had_ overheard him and Keima nodded with a sigh.

'I did... but please consider this, Kanon... please do not say this just to have me by your side.'

As soon as he said that, Keima noticed that Kanon tensed up for some reason and he raised an eyebrow in surprise at her reaction.

'Kanon...?'

'It's nothing... I... I guess I'll think about it again.'

'Please do...'

As the **Capturing God** went back to his games, he did not realize that with his every word he was changing and affecting Nakagawa Kanon, changes which might in turn cause fluctuations and changes in the balance that he fought so hard to keep perfectly even.

* * *

**..  
**

**Author's Notes: I AM NOT GOING TO CREATE AN ORIGINAL SONG FOR THE GIRLS. But I have a song in mind so it's fine.**

**That said, if not for Fuse Aoba's active role in ST and of course upcoming in MW's, I would be motivated to write more ST... but for now, be satisfied with what ST can offer while I finish the arc I am working on in MW's. So sorries! R&R! please!  
**


	64. Reenactment

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 64: Re-enactment**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser dude_ for the beta-edit as always~**

* * *

..

'Konbanwa, Kami-Onii-sama!'

Elsi greeted Keima as he returned from his personal trip and Keima nodded briefly to him before blinking in surprise in seeing all the 2B Pencils present and waiting for him in the café itself.

There was Chihiro chatting with Mari over the counter as they shared a drink together, Ayumi and Miyako enjoying some quiet time alone while staring out the shop window and of course Haqua reading something on her raiment as she looked up at seeing him arrive home.

'About time, Katsuragi... Now we can finally get this meeting started... I really want to go back...'

Sitting up on her seat, Haqua blushed when Miyako remarked that she has been the person that has been the one who proposed this meeting in the first place and the tsundere devil spent a few moments shouting at the normal girl while Keima walked over to nod to Mari, who seemed pleased to see all of them over again.

Mari had good impressions of all the girls as they had behaved impeccably during Elsi's first ever sleepover and she had fun teasing all of them as well that night.

The person that she approved the most was Ayumi, the girl was adorable, cute and not to mention the perfect fit for Keima. That said, she got along the best with Chihiro due to their matching personalities and she was appreciative of how Miyako seemed to be the quiet and wise member of the entire group. She could tell that behind that quiet exterior and modest demeanour was a person who had been looking after the backs of the reckless, but motivated Chihiro along with the rest of the girls.

Haqua was Elsi's friend and Mari had no problems with her daughter having such a wonderful friend like Haqua.

The first time impression she had of Haqua wasn't positive but she grew on one after a while as she was so easy to tease. That said, there was no doubt that she was Elsi's best friend thus far as the two of them were very close and they knew each other inside out.

'Welcome home, Keima-kun. The girls have been waiting for you for quite a while. You shouldn't keep a girl waiting, you know that right?'

Winking at them, Mari went to the kitchen and passed him a tray full of drinks that she told Keima to serve all of them.

'It's on the house today dear; I got one for you too. I'll start dinner in a bit; would all of them want to join us?'

Ever since she knew that Keima was helping the girls with the band, she has witnessed many changes in the boy's life. First of all was how late he stayed up working for the girls' stake.

Before, she would have nagged at him to sleep earlier and not to play his games, but after seeing the scores and the schedules that he has written out individually for all of them, she couldn't have the heart to ask him to stop.

This was something unexpected and unprecedented, Katsuragi Keima was actually helping someone and spending his own time willingly to do that, and it warmed Mari's heart to see him working hard for someone else.

'Thanks.'

Thanking his mother, Keima took the tray and headed off towards the girls who were all gathered around a table in a corner of the cafe.

His son was really growing up and it seemed that the many years he spent glued to his games had not affected his natural charm as she was the person who had watched him grow up.

She knew from a long time ago that he inherited his father's stubbornness as well as his looks, the same deep piercing look that he has when he was concentrating about something reminded Mari of Keima's father the few times that she was able to catch a glimpse of it.

Like his father, Mari knew that Keima would be able to achieve what he set his mind to. After all, he succeeded in chasing after her and even managed to change her entire life.

That was an accomplishment, right?

Now here he was, changing the life of the girls that allowed him to be by their sides... Mari only hoped that it was for the best for all of them.

It wouldn't do for him to be the catalyst to break the bonds of friendship between all of them after all.

* * *

..

'If either one of you have considered sending me a mail, I would have excused myself earlier.'

Keima stated as the girls sipped their drinks and Miyako replied by shaking her head.

'Well we just got here, despite what Mari-san said we did go out window shopping for a bit.'

Winking at Mari, Miyako was quickly backed up by Ayumi who said that they should have asked before dropping by but...

'Since Elsi said it was fine, we didn't want to bother you while you were helping Kanon-chan.'

Ayumi seemed to have put aside her concern about Kanon taking him away or at the least, put it behind her as she smiled happily while drinking the milk-tea that Mari had prepared.

'I wasn't helping her today; she invited me to her studio. I've spoken with some members of her team. They taught me things about the industry... and things that would help all of you as well.'

Keima's words went over the girl's head but they all knew that Keima was just saying that he learned something today.

'So what will you be having us to do this time, Katsuragi? Just for the record, I'm not letting you take any more photos!'

Waving a finger at him, Chihiro turned redder when Keima said that he wasn't planning that at first.

'It might be a good thing to have a full-body shoot as well. We do have a YouTube channel, a Twitter and a website... but the website provides the least of details. Perhaps we can provide more information there? Naturally I'll tweak the facts a little.'

All of the girls turned red to some degree and he endured several strikes to his head by an irate Chihiro and Haqua while the other girls just mumbled about not having the ideal figure, causing Keima to give a snort of annoyance.

'It is not the figures or the measurements that I am worried about. It is your personal hobbies and likes, those are important as it makes it easier for your fans to relate to you. Naturally we would have to make some rough estimates about your measurements but that is not the concern here. The big picture here is to connect with your fans. I would be giving personal accounts to all of you tonight along with a small template of the things that I would like you to show your fans. Of course, it is not mandatory at all but it would help your cause. If you are unwilling, I would not force any one of you to agree with me.'

Keima wasn't surprised to see none of them objecting his plans and he smiled in that manner that the girls were used to.

'Thank you for your cooperation.

'Come to think of it, we didn't exchange mail addresses, did we, Katsuragi-kun?'

Raising that issue up, Miyako smiled mischievously as Keima suddenly looked uncomfortable.

'So let's exchange numbers and mail addresses now, Katsuragi-kun~'

Reaching for her phone, Miyako was quickly joined by the other girls and Keima gave in after nodding his head to her suggestion. He had walked deep into this trap by his own free will and no matter how he rues it, he was not going to escape his fate nor was he going to run from it.

He would face it head on like always.

* * *

..

It had been a long day and as Keima saw the girls off from his doorstep, Keima was relieved to see that none of the girls were perturbed or uneasy at his absence today. He had always been worried of them being over-reliant on him and his presence but perhaps this was an encouraging start to what may actually be a reality in the future.

He couldn't be there for them every day, every time they needed help after all. The real world isn't that convenient after all, and thus, he had to shift the pivotal roles back to the leader of the 2B Pencils.

Whether the girls realized it before, the entire group has started to function around Keima, and this was not the right thing to do. They were an all-_girl_ band and besides, he was not the one that should be leading them. Chihiro was.

Thankfully for him she was still taking that role seriously and he appreciated her seriousness in that matter.

Thus he had pulled her aside after their dismissal to have a few words with her, in private of course, as he walked with her down towards the traffic intersection.

'Katsuragi, what do you want?'

Keima had been lost in his thoughts for quite a while now and he turned to see Chihiro hugging herself awkwardly and looking away the moment Keima turned to him.

'…'

He was tempted to say nothing but it would only make the situation more awkward as he was the one who had asked to walk him home in the first place.

'Ayumi... was quite upset. Why did you say you wanted to walk me back when you should have asked Ayumi instead?'

Blinking in confusion at her words, Keima's face turned slightly red when Chihiro continued.

'You're going out with Ayumi-chan aren't you? I heard that she confessed to you, right?'

Pouting and narrowing her eyes, Chihiro crossed her arms and glared at him like he was dirt under her shoe even as Keima said that he wasn't.

'W-What? You aren't going out with her? D-Don't tell me you turned her down? Ayumi did confess to you right?'

That confession would probably be the worst-kept secret of all time and Keima wondered how she had known that. Miyako, Haqua and Ayumi were possibly the only people who knew about the confession at this point so how did she know?

'She did... if you were just guessing, I have to say that I must give you more credit than you deserve.'

..

Keima answered evenly even as Chihiro simply blushed deeper and shook her head.

'I... overheard you and Miyako... I'm sorry... I couldn't help myself. You were so serious that I wondered if you were confessing to Miyako or something...'

Scratching her head, Chihiro laughed awkwardly even as Keima nodded his head. That would explain many things, if Chihiro had been eavesdropping on him and Miyako then, there would be details that she wouldn't have heard.

Well, he had nothing to hide from them if they were to find out after all.

'Why would you think that, Kosaka?'

Asking her evenly as the girl avoided his gaze, Chihiro mumbled about how different he looked when he was serious before shaking her head and saying it was nothing.

'It's really nothing, Katsuragi... I guess I was just too curious, that's all... so, why did you reject Ayumi anyway? You aren't going to confess to me, are you? That'll be so mean to Ayumi-chan.'

Curling her hair as she walked with him nervously, Chihiro stopped in her tracks when Keima asked if that was what she wanted after all and she turned back to stare at him, his figure illuminated by the street lights in a crude re-enactment of how he captured Chihiro the first time with the sun behind him.

Putting his PFP down, he asked the shocked girl again as he reached out to push Chihiro's fringe backwards only for the girl to shove him away in panic.

Her face was red and she was breathing deeply as she clutched her chest while staring back at him.

'D-Don't be... don't do that... not again, Katsuragi!'

It was a reaction that he didn't expect and he watched calmly as Chihiro hugged her head unhappily before pointing an accusing finger at him again. Her eyes set, but looking as though she was about to cry.

'Don't... do this to me again, Katsuragi... please. You're... just toying with me, or us... or Ayumi! Whatever it is... Stop. Don't say that unless you mean it, Katsuragi! Don't... try to say that you've forgotten all that you did for us before. You didn't, did you? You helped me... but you helped Ayumi too! I... If not, why would she feel the same?'

It was the first time that one of the girls accused him of that and he lowered his gaze in what seemed to be guilt for a moment. Naturally, Chihiro didn't allow that opportunity to pass up and she reached out to grab him by his collar, pulling him closer to her.

She was crying, the brave and unrelenting girl was crying and she wiped those tears away with her collar repeatedly as she spoke angrily to him, forcing him to face her as she demanded answers..

..

'You didn't... you didn't forget after all! And you didn't say a word till now? Do you know how complicated I had felt? I kept telling myself that what you did for me was a dream, it must be a dream... but it wasn't a dream after all, you helped me out then! You... you were the reason that I could start the 2B Pencils in the first place! I don't know what you did for Ayumi... but I can tell that Ayumi... she liked you from a long time ago. Have you ever, ever considered how I would have felt whenever I saw you and Ayumi were all alone together? How... how could you make me go through that?'

Being called out on that was certainly a first and Keima closed his eyes and apologized to her, a first as well and Chihiro's eyes widened before she reached out to slap him, not even letting him go as she berated him.

'How could you say that you're sorry? Were... you really toying with all of us? You helped us so much and... despite all that, you didn't seem to discourage us either... why must we... I... be subjected to all of this?'

'There really isn't a reason for this; it's all in your mind... Chihiro.'

He called out her name while he continued, slowing pushing the girl away in the meantime.

'There has been no reason for me to help all of you from the start, the past or now... I admit there were circumstances involved that made me want to help all of you in the first place but after I started, there was no going back. I... can only apologize for the emotions that I have stirred up.'

'But do you mean any of them?'

'Mean... any of them?'

'Those gestures, those smiles... those sides of you that you showed to all of us... all of them affected us... even I... even I... started liking you, Katsuragi... you were different, so I guess I had difficulty in accepting you.

But the more I knew and learned, the more I liked you... did you mean any of those? Were you... just playing with us? Or were they accidents... or... or did... did you really find some of us attractive too?'

Chihiro breathed deeply as she grabbed him forcefully, her eyes deep in wonder at how daring she had become and it was a sentiment that was echoed by Keima as he looked back at her.

'I... I don't know for certain.'

He admitted finally and to his surprise Chihiro's grip only tightened as her hand grabbed his collar down further, choking him.

'So... there is a chance, is it? You rejected... Ayumi... so that means, it's okay like this. Just this once... I wanted... to do it after the audition but I can't help myself further.'

Chihiro looked up and glared at him fiercely again, causing the **Capturing God** to freeze for a moment as he recognized this flag and felt it too as Chihiro leaned up to kiss him on the lips passionately, almost locking jaws and pushing him backwards as her tongued probed him passionately.

It felt like hours but it was only a few seconds before they separated and Chihiro, with her face cherry red and trembling had endearing qualities that Keima didn't see before.

It was one of those reactions that made one exclaim: 'Ah, she really _is_ a girl!' and Keima admitted that he was blushing too as they shared the awkward silence that developed between them.

..

For Chihiro, she couldn't believe she had just _done that_ and she wanted so badly to die in embarrassment or to at least run away in shame. She was hoping for Keima to say something to help dispel the tension or at least return her feelings but only when he did not did she risk it all and turn to face him again.

'… Do... you feel the same way towards me?'

It was her first true confession and although she had hoped it would be directed to someone more handsome, she had decided that Katsuragi Keima wasn't that bad of a person and, was someone who she didn't mind spending time with.

It was ridiculous to think about it at the start but after seeing how he is and after looking aside and away from his eccentricity, he was someone who she wanted with her.

She might be the person who leads him along but he was definitely someone who she wanted to be by her side all the way. It was like the pairing of the sun and the moon, and she wasn't embarrassed now that she had confessed.

Chihiro did like the boy and didn't want him to be taken away from her, even if that was selfish.

'I know I'm being selfish... and I don't expect an answer soon... you have other things to take care of... Yes, even I can be considerate too, Katsuragi.'

Hearing him snort a little at her carefully crafted words made Chihiro snap at him and it was exactly that which made her return to normal and she laughed a little as they separated.

'It might be selfish to ask that of you... so I can wait, I will wait after the festival, Katsuragi... after we wrap up every thing... could I expect an answer? The friendship that we have now is something I want to keep too... and I don't want to strain my friendship with Ayumi... she's my best friend... and best friends... fighting over a boy is just not my style.'  
Sticking her tongue out at him, Chihiro was gratified when Keima reached out to rub away some of her tears.

'Don't do that to get my hopes up, Katsuragi... just do what you have been doing so far, okay? I'm counting on you.'

Winking at him, Chihiro was about to run away when Keima called after her and told her that it was the opposite.

'No, I'm counting on _you_, Chihiro.'

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Reviews would be really appreciated! I really mean it!**


	65. Afterwords

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 65: Afterword**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you _Kaiser Dude _****for the beta-read as always. Thank you all for your R&R, it might be a little, considering who is following me, but thank you nonetheless for taking some time to write a review.**

* * *

..

Keima bit his lip as he considered what has happened today, having a confession from Chihiro was not in the cards, as he had wanted to speak to her about the band, to tell her about what he expected her to do, and what roles she needed to fill when the time comes.

The things that he was supposed to tell her was important and they highlighted important points that he wanted Chihiro to take note and remember when he was gone.

Yes, he had seen the ending and that meant that he'll have to leave the 2B Pencils sometime later in the future. It was an inevitability as this route, this story and this development requires him to do that in order to achieve the 'true' and 'perfect' ending for this story.

He had promised himself, promised the enigma that was Nikaido Yuri; that he would not lose sight of what was important. What was important was protecting the girls from themselves, preventing their gaps from appearing in their hearts and maintaining the complex and delicate relationship he has with all of them.

There was another factor in play here and Keima knew that it was going to be an uphill task getting rid of that problem even when he could see the ending.

Thus that was why he was paving the way for... emergencies. There wasn't enough time to search for the culprit now, not when there was a much more dangerous threat in front of them and he had relayed that to Haqua as well, the demon girl being very relieved as she confessed that she has been using her free time to review the security footage from the store as much as she could.

There were tons of footage though and as her raiment could only show and play one of them at any time, Haqua was hard pressed to make any progress on it due to her busy schedule.

Letting Elsi do it was impossible due to many reasons, one of them was how she was totally incompetent with her raiment and couldn't bring up the interface to play those videos in the first place.

Besides, if the culprit wanted to make more chaos he or she would have returned the memories of the girls who had their memory modifications reapplied and thus Keima could infer from this fact to determine that he/she would not strike again, at least not in the near future. That was his reasoning for abandoning the search for the culprit for now.

But everything that he planned for came to naught when Chihiro confessed to him and he could sense that the tight bonds that he had tried so hard to forge between the girls was cracking and straining under the love triangle or love quadrangle formed by the girls with him at the center.

It was a pity that Chihiro did not give up on him but the chances of that were slim at best. Besides Kanon, Ayumi and Chihiro had displayed very subtle hints to him that they retained at least some of the memories of the capture and that meant that with the memory restoration, the three of them were the most likely to continue chasing after him.

If Chihiro or Ayumi gave the race up for her friends, Keima's job would be much easier but alas it wasn't so.

The 2B Pencils Love Triangle is now formed between him, Chihiro and Ayumi but there was one thing that came out of it. That is, Keima was relieved to see that the two girls were still taking each other into consideration and even if that consideration was not as important or as strong as their need to confess to him, they were still strong enough to stop them from seeing each other as competitors and was content to let Keima decide amongst the two of them.

That said, Keima wasn't sure that respect extended to Nakagawa Kanon and this cat fight might get ugly if they decided to 'fight' against Kanon together.

..

Another thing to note was how far he has progressed down Chihiro's route as Keima had reckoned and estimated, rightly initially that Chihiro would probably confess after the audition or before the actual day but instead of doing that, she confessed prior and that threw a wrench into his plans.

That said, Ayumi fell into the same predicament and Keima wondered what had been the trigger to force the girl to take such desperate measures to confess so early.

They themselves should be feeling contented and secure as Keima was in their band and they shouldn't have been felt forced or pressured to show their hands and feeling so soon with him in such close proximity! What was the deciding factor for the girls to view that their chances with Keima was at stake?

If Keima could determine that fact it'll definitely help with his planning for the future and the **Capturing God** scratched his head while making his way back home.

'What... is it?'

* * *

..

'… '

Flopping onto her bed, Kosaka Chihiro stared at her pillow for a while as her face grew hotter the more she thought of what had just happened between her and Katsuragi Keima.

'… T-That... that was...'

She tried to come up with an excuse to say that was an accident but having a French kiss with a boy was hardly a sign of a forced or accidental encounter and Chihiro laid back in tiredness.

She hadn't wanted to blurt what she had been feeling to him so soon, she had wanted to wait and to find the right opportunity to do so after she learnt that Ayumi had confessed to him.

'… it's his fault.'

One can say that was the truth as Chihiro had all but given up when she eavesdropped and heard that Ayumi had confessed to him and as she was a person who valued her friendship, Chihiro had wanted to give up for Ayumi's sake.

No, she had steeled herself and even tried to get used to his presence in her bid to numb herself against Keima. If she could do that, perhaps she could forget all about what she felt for him like she did for the other boys she had confessed to before.

It was difficult to do that, much more difficult than Chihiro had thought and it was that difficulty that made her want to consider her decision to give up the race.

If Ayumi was indeed going out with Keima, she would want to root for her and she would be satisfied, if only a little bitter at remaining friends with Keima. Chihiro didn't want to lose just his friendship but Ayumi's too if she got too greedy or too stubborn.

But holding all the emotions back meant that when it was released, Chihiro couldn't help herself and she confessed to Keima upon knowing that Ayumi was not going out with him.

'… Or was he going out with Kanon... after all?'

Rolling on her bed, Chihiro felt a little sick while staring at the poster of Kanon on her wall. Nakagawa Kanon, the rising and probably top idol was someone that she admired and looked up to. She was a very nice girl at heart too even if one was to strip away her status as an idol and Chihiro viewed her as a friendly competitor, someone similar to the Singing Wizards and she was also their motivation to try so hard.

Kanon meant a lot of things to all of them; she symbolized what they were striving for as a band, and perhaps as a girl, someone who is as perfect as could be. The girls either loved her or were envious of what she symbolizes, what she shows and what she reflects upon the rest of the girls.

Chihiro felt jealous, just a little of what Kanon can do, what she was and what she has in her grasp but the last straw for her and perhaps for Ayumi as well as to see him have the boy that they liked as well.

She was certain that Ayumi's heart had been shattered when she saw him with Kanon or at least, Kanon being so friendly with Keima and although it was Elsi that first broached the topic, Chihiro could tell that Ayumi was the one most adversely affected by the development.

..

'… It's like one of those cheesy romance serial dramas.'

Chihiro commented with a small sigh as she considered the implications. Although she wasn't the **Capturing God, **she was more or less knowledgeable on drama serials as she had caught and followed quite a few of them.Depending on the story set up and on who the heroine was, Chihiro felt that she still has a chance in getting chosen by the boy that she liked.

'… I never once thought that it'll be Katsuragi though, it should be... easier...'

Blinking as she realized that she had gotten used to calling him Katsuragi instead of the Otamegane after all, Chihiro smiled to herself as she considered the roles inside the triangle that they had right now.

If Kanon was the main heroine, that meant that she and Ayumi were the villainous girls who was trying to steal Keima from her and that would signify that despite their successes so far with Keima in the 2B Pencils, they would fail at the final stages and allow Kanon to go off with Keima and being the victor.

That was something that she couldn't accept and Chihiro really hoped that wasn't the case this time.

If Ayumi was the heroine, Kanon would be the villainous girl trying to steal Keima from her and despite initial success Ayumi would triumph over Kanon in the end to get her happy end.

This same scenario could apply for Chihiro as well but when one looks at it, Chihiro fits the bill of the main heroine more than Ayumi as she was the last person to confess to Keima after all and tradition states that the person with the most stacked against them are normally the victors.

Chihiro didn't want to say this or admit this but she didn't stand a chance against Kanon and was severely disadvantaged against Ayumi as well. Basically she was the last person that any one would expect to try and confess to Keima, one can also say that she was a person who _should_ confess to Keima as she was the most 'ordinary' and the other girls were above his league.

Just thinking about that made Chihiro mad and made her burn up with motivation to try her best.

'… but I'll give up if he makes a choice.'

She reminded herself sternly as she has no desire to be the third party or to be the person to break up a happy relationship. That said, she wasn't going to hold back if the relationship between Keima and the girl he choose fails.

'… if it's Ayumi... well.'

That'll be difficult but she's sure that Ayumi would understand.

* * *

..

It was a similar situation for Takahara Ayumi as well as she strummed her guitar slowly while looking at the score sheet that Keima had copied for her. It had felt odd today, to see Keima not around and looking over their shoulders and she missed his thoughtful look and composed expression while overseeing them.

Seeing him again at Elsi's house was enough for her though and Ayumi sighed as she tried to get Keima off her mind, even for just a while as it was severely affecting her in more ways than one.

It had been difficult to concentrate on practicing whenever she felt or could sense Keima's eyes on her but Ayumi had rallied remarkably by telling herself that it was good training for the audition ahead.

The rehearsal hadn't been so bad as the place was packed with fangirls cheering for the Singing Wizards and seeing them so focused on their idols made Ayumi determined to not give in to their determination as well.

She, she wanted to show Keima what she was made of, that she was made of tougher stuff than that and she had been on her best that night and rallied by her effort, Elsi put up a flawless performance as well.

The experience with the boy wasn't as scarring as everyone thought it had been, but it had certainly shaken Ayumi quite a bit and even now she was still a little apprehensive about strangers who had wandering eyes or were fond of checking her body out.

Oddly enough she has no problems with boys that she knew and despite wearing short skirts and even shorter pants when running, Ayumi was fine as long as she didn't catch them staring at her body.

Perhaps she has gotten more conscious of her body after falling in love with Keima and wanted to preserve her body for him. Oh gods, did she just think that?

'I... I didn't.'

Ayumi hugged her guitar in shame before sliding to the floor and putting a hand on her chest to try and calm her beating and racing heart. Well she did and she wasn't too shocked or scandalized to feel that was not a bad idea after all.

'… He stole my first kiss after all.'

Was she a hopeless romantic? Ayumi didn't know but at the moment she shook her head and tried to concentrate again. She had a very bad feeling the moment that she saw Keima with Kanon and she has been fighting the feeling to confront Keima about it face to face.

At least, she was about to till Elsi broke the duck and asked him about it. She hadn't been satisfied with his reply though, he seemed evasive and her womanly instincts told her to trust her gut.

Their relationship wasn't simply platonic, as something had happened between the two of them and it was something that mattered to him and to Kanon, Ayumi could see that. Everyone could see that and it hurt her to know that she had no idea something this important was going on between him and Kanon.

Either he had been a great liar, a great playboy, or that this was something that had happened recently and Ayumi had no idea about.

All she knew was that things had gotten complicated and it was not his fault at all, it was everyone around him.

She did not miss the look in Chihiro's eyes at times when she was alone with her and when he offered to walk her home today, she felt betrayed as a glimmer of hope appeared in her eyes.

Even so, Ayumi did not want to judge Chihiro yet, she was one of the reasons that she had built up the courage to once again approach Keima in the first place as Chihiro had been nudging the two of them closer ever since the formation of the new 2B Pencils.

There were times where Chihiro would shoo Keima to assist Ayumi and she had to admit that she had the most 'private' tutoring sessions with Keima than the rest.

'…'

But the same applies to her as well, she intentionally went out of her way to give Chihiro and Keima space when he wanted it and unlike when he was dealing with her, Keima approached Chihiro willingly while for Ayumi she felt that he approached only due to necessity.

'I'm just imagining it.'

Ayumi told herself as she played the live recording from their first debut on her laptop before starting to work on her biography for Keima.

* * *

..

_[I enjoyed myself very much today; I hope to see you drop by tomorrow if you could! - Love, Kanon]_

Looking at the message again before sending it out, Kanon smiled as she laid back on her bed today for a well-deserved break. It had been a wonderful day and it was going to get better as Okada-san had given her tomorrow off in preparation for the busy week ahead of her.

There was the audition for the Mai-High Festival, where she would be a guest judge along with many commercial shoots and lessons lined up for her and she needed her strength.

No, she needed Katsuragi Keima to be with her to help her along. Kanon was adamant on that and just like how she had fixed upon that during his visit and brief time with him.

It filled her up inside to have him around her and although Kanon knew that was a silly reason, she felt that it was right for him to be by her side.

She could draw sappy references like how he was the topping to her ice-cream, the lock to her key and etc. But if that felt that way for Kanon, no one could stop her from thinking that way at all and for her, Katsuragi Keima was the thing that completed her life.

'Eheh~ What shall we do tomorrow?'

Her fans would be scandalized at how devoted she was to Keima and even her manager would have second thoughts at seeing her prized charge display and show so many signs of obsession with the boy that now was her entire life.

Naturally, the only person who remained oblivious to the change was Kanon herself and naturally that would cause future complications if no one realized it till it was too late.

It was going to be a difficult journey for the **Capturing God **indeed as he himself did not foresee the development of Kanon back to the standard Yandere character archetype.

Or had he?

..

In his room, the **Capturing God** reviewed his next set of notes for the girls while looking up more information for the new role that he was going to take the next day. It had not been a very productive day for him but it was a day where some of his predictions were spot on and some were proven wrong just as quickly.

Either way, he knew that there were bound to be changes in his plans but with the new timetable that he has drawn up, it seemed that many key events would have to be rushed and he looked at the time-chart that he has drawn in a separate folder where one could see three important flags highlighted in it that read: 'Kanon's Confession, Ayumi's Confession and Chihiro's Confession'.

All three girls have confessed to him and from his notes, it seemed that he had at least expected that to happen. What happened later was any one's guess but being the **Capturing God** he could see the possible outcomes branching in front of him.

'Is this the right thing?'

Keima asked himself as he dialled a number that he had gotten earlier and when the person picked up, he was as direct as always, stating his reason for calling while the other person struggled with the implications of his words.

'You're what? What? Why? What did we do? Why are you telling me this?'

'I'm simply asking your opinion in this, Terada. Do not be mistaken. Calm down...'

'You're saying that you'll quit as the Manager right! We won't have it, I won't have it!'

'I'm not quitting, I'll be helping Kanon for a bit. All I need is a few weeks with her.'

'The Mai-High is in less than 3 weeks away, Katsuragi-kun!'

Terada Miyako was shouting over the phone and Keima winced as she had caught on to the meaning behind his words, just like he expected her to and the **Capturing God** nodded as he asked her again.

'… It might concern my future, Terada. But if all of you object, I'll find a way to balance your calendar with hers.'

'You... shouldn't just consult me, Katsuragi-kun, did you ask any of the others?'

'No, just you; As a barometer of sorts for all of them... please keep this to yourself for now before I make my decision. Thank you for listening to me'

Keima was about to put down when Miyako told him to stop by screaming at her phone again.

'Wa-it! You're not going to tell them at all?'

'Not till I decided, yes... I'll like you to keep that secret for me too... but I won't hold it against you if you want to tell the others.'

'You're putting me in a tight spot, Katsuragi-kun.'

'I'm in one now, Terada. I'm... in one right now. Still, I guess it's none of your concern.'

* * *

**Author's Notes: I might pick up ST again, might... seeing that I've hit a rough patch with MW's as well. But it's all under control. Again, R&R is greatly appreciated!**


	66. Wildcard

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 66: Wildcard**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the superb beta as always!**

* * *

..

'Of course it matters! Why would it not matter to me!'

Keima stared at his cell for a second as Terada Miyako screamed over the phone at him.

'It matters! It matters as all of them liked you, didn't you know that? Ayumi, Chihiro, Haqua and even Elsi-chan likes you! Don't tell me you didn't know that at all.'

Calling him out on something that he had known for ages, Katsuragi Keima and the **Capturing God** simply answered that he knew.

'I've known for a long time, Terada... you don't need to scream at me like this.'

There was only shocked silence from the other end but Keima did not put down the phone, he waited till Miyako recovered to bombard him with questions.

'W-Why... why? If you have known for so long, why didn't you do something about it? Why didn't you just go out with Ayumi? That would have solved the problem, wouldn't it?'

Ah, she obviously didn't read enough romance novels to be so naïve. If it was so easy, he would have gone out with Kanon a long time ago. Even he has his limits and one of them was maintaining more than a triangle of relationship at one time.

'Would it, Terada? Would going out with Ayumi mean the end of my troubles? Wouldn't I need to face Kosaka and Haqua as well? Ayumi is friends with the two of them and if they had lingering affections for me, would it not affect them negatively?'

'It's _your_ fault for being wishy-washy, Katsuragi-kun! If you had made your intentions clear from the start, all of this wouldn't have happened at all!'

She was berating him again and he couldn't blame him, he had however another card up his sleeve that he knew could shut Miyako up immediately.

'Yes, I should have gone out with Kanon at the start, shouldn't I?'

Another stunned silence and Keima took the opportunity to make himself comfortable on his bed. It wasn't normal for a scene or an event to take place over the phone but it certainly was possible, at least he has seen it once before and so...

'K-Kanon? So the rumours are true? You're going out with Kanon-chan!'

From her ragged breathing and her tone of voice, Keima could tell that was news to Miyako and she was getting worked up over the true implications of this tangled web of relationships that Keima was trapped in.

'No, unfortunately. Though I was given the option to do so.'

Keima replied calmly and to his surprise, Miyako's breathing returned to normal and she even seemed cross as she asked him if he was kidding.

'I'm not, I'm telling the truth. Kanon... she has confessed to me as well.'

'EHHHH!'

She screamed again but this time Keima had placed his phone a distance away and was not as affected as before by her ear-piercing scream.

'G-Goodness... to think that even Kanon has confessed to you... you're right, this is... troubling.'

'Stop talking like it doesn't concern you, Terada.'

Keima snapped back at the girl, who had recovered to her usual demeanour even as she laughed over the phone.

'Gomen gomen... how about we talk about this in person, Katsuragi-kun. It doesn't directly concern me but all of them are my friends, so... if you want me to keep all this a secret, you'll have to meet me, now, at the fountain in the main street. Is that okay?'

'Are you blackmailing me?'

Keima muttered sternly to Terada Miyako, the self-proclaimed and labelled 'normal girl' and she giggled while wondering out loud if that was so.

'You'll find out when you meet me, Katsuragi-kun, so... I'll see you in a bit!'

'Wait! She hung up on me!'

Keima swore as he put his phone down in frustration. This was indeed a change of plans but... it might be the one that he had been looking for. With that secret shared between him and Miyako, it could be possible to handle and limit the damage from Kanon's influence... now he'll have to take a gamble and approach this 'normal girl' by himself.

* * *

..

'You really came~~ That's surprising~'

Smiling as she swallowed down the last of the bread that she brought with her, Terada Miyako patted the spot beside her on the bench to encourage Keima to sit beside her.

'Why is that surprising, I never said that I wasn't going to come.'

Keima replied tersely to show his frustration at the situation but his eyes were calm and he had planned out his words before dropping by. Terada Miyako, what a formidable wild card and joker, who knew what cards she was holding in her hands right now.

'… It's your fault, you know that, Katsuragi-kun.'

'Yes, yes... blame everything on me.'

He shrugged as Miyako stated that it wouldn't have started if he hadn't joined the band in the first place.

'If you had just went out with Kanon at the start, all of this would have been prevented. Ayumi and Chihiro wouldn't have liked you and you wouldn't be cheating on all of them at the same time.'

Nodding sagely, Miyako shrugged when Keima said that Chihiro was the one who had told him to help out at the start.

'Even if she might have said that as a joke, I told her that I would help her out... a long time ago.'

Dropping hints that every thing started a long time ago, Keima smiled internally when Miyako made the connection surprisingly quickly as she snapped her fingers.

'D-Don't tell me... you didn't!'

'What... did I do this time?'

Keima leaned against his bench as Miyako stood up and pointed an accusing finger at him.

'Chihiro did say something about how you had helped her a long time ago... did it start then? Did it start then? Oh my god! You're really the worse kind of person!'

Hitting him on the head lightly, Miyako sighed as she flopped beside him and just repeated what she had been emphasizing a long time ago.

'You're really... the worse, Katsuragi-san... and you did the same to Ayumi, didn't you? Tell me honestly, who came first? Ayumi, Chihiro or Kanon?'

Putting the question forward to him, Miyako nodded as Keima said that it all started with Ayumi.

'Ah... right, there was the time she got injured right... did you help her then? I'm surprised though... was Ayumi your type after all.'

When Keima refused to answer that question, Miyako sighed and stretched herself before she spoke again.

'Well... I shouldn't pry... but I think I got the gist of the situation... you're... really horrible... but I can't seem to dislike you at all, Katsuragi-kun. As that seems to be how you are like...'

'How... I am like?'

Raising an eyebrow at her comment, Keima expected Miyako to be mad at him after learning about the truth but she wasn't, she was smiling as she sat beside him comfortably, as if she didn't mind what he has done at all.

'You see... even I, like you.'

An unexpected confession from Miyako and Keima recoiled in the bench, causing Miyako to look a little hurt before she giggled at his reaction.

'Just... kidding! Well, I don't know really... but I know that the impression I have of Katsuragi-kun has been improving... it's not just me, but most of the people in the school as well. Our classmates, they haven't been calling you the '_Otamegane'_ has they? They... saw another side of you when you decided to help us, just like me~'

Keima did not know what to make of Miyako's statement but if even she had confessed, this was going to be tricky. Thankfully though, she didn't seem too serious about it as she spoke again.

..

'You don't give in to other's opinion, you're stubborn, you're selfish and you think that you're the centre of the world. That... is what we all think before you came over to help us... I... I actually knew something was going on between you and Ayumi, just not you and Chihiro though... I wonder when did she start liking you.'

Musing to herself as she looked up at the sky, Miyako continued while Keima listened.

'You... still don't care about other's opinion... but I know you cared about other's feelings. What they thought about... what they would do and could do... even if you say you didn't care. After all, you were the one who didn't accept Ayumi because you were worried about Chihiro's feelings, weren't you? I should have realized it then but I wasn't sure, not when I... thought for sure that you were going to go out with Ayumi.'

Miyako smiled again as she turned to meet him, her hands reaching out to hold Keima's as she stared at him with the same smile. Besides Fuse Aoba, no one else has been able to fool the god but just once, perhaps just once, Terada Miyako's expression was unreadable and Keima couldn't tell what she was thinking as she squeezed his hand tightly.

'You care for all of us more than you care for yourself, Katsuragi-kun. You... are not accepting any girl's feelings because... you don't want them to be hurt and angry at each other for doing that, aren't you.'

It was close enough, Keima was just worried that the girls wouldn't be mad at him but it can be switched around to the same reason in a heart beat. So even Terada Miyako was fallible, that made Keima feel a little better as she backed off.

'You're looking down on us, Katsuragi-kun.'

Her next words were a surprise though and he turned his head swiftly in her direction even as she looked away solemnly.

'Us girls... we stick together... and that's because of you too. You worked hard to make us... even better friends than before. You know, it's hard sometimes to find good friends... Ayumi and I are in the track team so we are close... Chihiro... she is a good friend but we weren't that close till we are in the band... Elsi, Elsi is Elsi, she gets along with everyone... and thanks to you, Haqua... she's one of my friends too.

All of them, are very precious to me, more so than any other friends that I've had before... We... together, are the 2B Pencils, _the_ 2B Pencils that you created and crafted together. You, are the glue to our sisterhood... and even, even if it's for you, Katsuragi-kun, the 2B Pencils won't fall apart because of you, that... I can assure you.'

Gripping her hands tightly, Miyako broke the atmosphere of the moment by scratching her head and saying that was what she thought anyway.

'I wouldn't know what the others think... especially not Ayumi and Chihiro... since they confessed to you after all. They might view you as more important than all of us~'

Miyako teased him as Keima looked away awkwardly at her words, that would be the worse scenario of all. Even if he had MAXed out their Love points, if he over did it, they might end up to be stalkers... though it was a low possibility for Ayumi or Chihiro. Not so for Kanon though, her chances of being a yandere was almost close to 100% if the wrong flags were triggered.

'So Katsuragi-kun shouldn't worry... and just decide on who that you rather go out with... if it's someone that Katsuragi-kun really liked and that you would be happy with... I'm sure that all of us would understand.'

Getting up, Miyako said her last piece before setting off by herself, leaving Keima sitting there as he contemplated her words.

She was the wild card, a joker in the deck that threatened to upset all of his plans or had she been silently nudging the girls in the right direction? Either way, Keima paid attention to Miyako before she left.

'So don't just consider our feelings, consider yourself too, Katsuragi-kun. If you give a lousy reason to reject them, they'll be mad~'

'… So it's up to me to decide what I should do, Terada.'

'Mm mm... it's nice that you're considering our feelings, Katsuragi-kun but it's... not when you haven't given a reply to them. You didn't say no, did you? That's why, Ayumi and Chihiro would still keep on waiting. The... longer one waits, the more painful it is, Katsuragi-kun and the kinder you are to them, the more painful they'll feel. You should... consider that too.'

'… Thanks.'

Nodding in acknowledgement of her words and advise, Keima asked her why she was giving him so much advise on this matter when it didn't concern her at all.

'I... don't want you making Ayumi or Chihiro sad just because you didn't understand the delicate feelings we girls have, you're really insensitive at times you know.'

She remarked with a small smile, almost sadly even as she bowed to him.

'… Ayumi-chan and Chihiro-chan would be in your care from now on... you should make your decision quickly and firmly... I don't want you to hurt them by being indecisive again. At most... it's only the girls that lose that will hurt... but broken hearts do heal, you know...'

'It just takes time, a long time... but they would... eventually ... but will I be forgiven for that, for all this?'

Keima's words surprised her and she nodded in agreement to his statement but she shrugged when the question was posed at him again.

'… Who knows... the 'shared memories' that you said we all shared... I'm sure that they won't forget what Katsuragi-kun did, said and shared with them... and it'll be something important to them, even if they... weren't the ones to get the 'happy ever after'... Ahaha, I'm being sentimental, what's wrong with me... but they'll forgive you... only if you're being honest to them.'

Miyako stated softly before she left Keima for real at the fountain, making her way back alone.

'… The... wild card... huh?'

* * *

..

_'I'm the worst.'_

_Miyako Terada told herself as she took a detour into a cafe that she liked to visit and after ordering a large soda, she sipped it half-heartedly._

_'… I... I can't believe... that I lied to him about that.'_

_Miyako mumbled as she recalled what had happened a few minutes earlier._

**'Just... kidding! Well, I don't know really... but I know that the impression I have of Katsuragi-kun has been improving'**

_It was more than that, it was more than improving and Miyako hoped that he didn't treat her too seriously as the atmosphere earlier was almost too much for her to bear._

_'… sigh...'_

_Sliding down the chair and pressing her hands against her cheek, Terada Miyako blushed as she recalled how sad he looked when she recounted the situation to him._

_It wasn't fair of her to do that to him, not when she knew that it was a little more complicated than that._

_'… I... was going to confess too, you know.'_

_The normal girl whispered to herself before pressing the cold drink against her cheek to cheer herself up._

_'Chihiro and... Ayumi... and Kanon... huh?'_

_All thee girls were above her in looks, attitude and demeanour wise and there was no way that she could match up to him even if she was the only person capable to read through his intentions._

_He, really was a horrible person to make Ayumi and Chihiro misunderstand his intentions but then again, perhaps he didn't have the heart to refuse them like she had said._

_Miyako doubted that though but she was not going to press judgement on him just because she was a tiny bit jealous._

_Despite Keima's fair treatment to all of them, Miyako knew that he avoided her for some reason... perhaps she was just not good enough?_

_It had changed somewhat after Ayumi's confession as he had opened up to her and had even exchanged more words, heart-to-heart words even after band and while they were hanging out._

_It was then that Miyako felt that she too viewed him differently. It wasn't fair for Ayumi and Chihiro though and she suppressed those feelings relatively easily and had ignored it up till this point._

..

_It was like the entire dam that had been holding back her emotions had broken down when he confessed to her about the mess he was in, that he had been confessed too by all three girls and it was a terrible moment for her as well._

_She had... initially wanted to tell him to go out with her instead to solve the problem... but when she was talking to him, she could tell that he had no interest in her and was even afraid of her to some extent._

_'… That's kinda sad.'_

_She remarked while drinking her soda again but it had been for good too as she was able to shrug off all her feelings for him as well._

_Sure, there'll be lingering regrets but a crush is a crush, and an unrequited crush should be hidden deep into one's heart._

_'… Fight-o, Miyako! Fight-o!'_

_She'll have to work harder to ensure that the 2B Pencils stay together, especially when she was the one who said that they would. She owed it to him, to Katsuragi and she wanted him to be happy._

_'To you, Katsuragi-kun. To you.'_

_Presenting a toast to him, Terada Miyako celebrated the end of her first crush._

* * *

..

'… It seems like I have her blessings.'

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** told himself solemnly as he steeled himself for the final part of his plan. Now that the most troublesome person had agreed or had gone out of his way to clear the path for him, unwittingly seeing the end of this mission, he was ready to move on.

Pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose as he walked back home, he typed out a mail to Kanon, telling her that he'll be late tomorrow and for her to head off for work first.

'It's time, to put an end to this.'

He had a long night in front of him, things that only he can do and things that only he could do by himself.

There's a lot of materials to work on, to prepare and to highlight for the girls and for Kanon as well.

All he could do was to hope that nothing happened to him during the crucial next few weeks, he was running himself ragged as it is right now.

'… Though to have her open up to me was a surprise. I should take note of that.'

Shrugging the bad feeling away as he pulled out his PFP, Keima could just see the ending in front of him... if everything worked out, all of them... including him, would be saved.

* * *

**Author's Notes: This is an interesting chapter even for me. So, do REVIEW and do my NEW poll!  
**


	67. Revelations

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 67: Revelations**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I've been slacking off for the past week.. so it's concerning me a little. But thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta as always!**

* * *

**..  
**

The one person that had not been involved in this mess, and yet still at the center of it all was Katsuragi Elsi as she sat on her bed strumming by herself.

None of the night's events had came to her ears and it was a relief to the person who was looking over her like a hawk as the two of them practiced together.

Haqua knew everything that has happened so far due to Keima's updates to her, and Haqua gave a small prayer to the gods for blessing them so far.

It was kinda ironic for a demon to wish to god but it seemed better than the alternative as she was keeping secrets from New Hell. A breach in security has been going on under her watch and if someone else reported it to New Hell, there was no doubt that she would be suspended or even kicked out of the Weiss Capturing Squad.

God knows how Nora would taunt her with this if she found out but since she had made a promise to Keima to keep this under wraps, she had done so faithfully.

All of it started only a week or so ago but it had seemed like ages and Haqua could only marvel at how Keima has been handling the situation by himself. There were many variables, changes and differences in what might have or could have happened, but he still has everything under control.

The one thing that he had ignored and subsequently isolated was the girl and her best friend in front of her and in all of honesty, Haqua wasn't sure whether it was the right thing to do.

She understood the reason for him in abandoning the search for the culprit, the real one that is after catching sight of his or her tail in the video-game store as this was a more pressuring issue.

What she didn't understand was why he continued to ignore her, ignore Elsi and she couldn't stop herself and just asked the younger demon girl about what she felt.

'Elsi... do you like Keima?'

..

It was an out-of-the-blue, honest question, and although Haqua was expecting Elsi to be flustered and even to be in denial, she didn't expect Elsi to slowly nod her head in response.

'Kami... Onii-sama desu ka? Mm... I like him.'

Her coolness affected Haqua more than she would want to admit to, and she went back to studying the notes while Elsi continued strumming her bass to herself. It was totally unlike Elsi at all, and Haqua wondered whether Keima was right and that the two of them had been too distracted by the other girls to notice the psychological changes that were happening to Elsi.

Her friend didn't seem like her usual self now and Haqua spoke out again, breaking the silence even as Elsi looked up and smiled back at her.

'… As in like, the like... Elsi? He's... your partner and your buddy... and well, you told me that he is your brother by blood now... even with all that, do you still like him?'

'…'

There was silence, the awkward kind again as Elsi looked at Haqua, stared at her while Haqua never backed down. She needed to know the truth, now, when all was not confirmed and when Elsi nodded her head and said that she still does, Haqua smiled sadly in reply.

'I see... so Elsi likes Katsuragi too... Well, I'll support you, Elsi... just like how I said I would.'

Elsi was overjoyed by the news and she broke out into a happy smile again, quite a rare sight nowadays as Haqua realized too late that Elsi had been pensive ever since the capture started and she rarely spoke.

Her actions and enthusiasm, which was normal and par the course had been absent ever since Keima started helping the 2B Pencils and although she was still the person all of them turned to for their daily dose of enthusiasm and belief for Keima, most of the push had came from Keima himself or Chihiro and not quite from Elsi. She was still happy in the surface but sad inside.

It was shocking to Haqua how she had missed all of that due to Keima upstaging Elsi in generating more energy in the group in more than one occasion.

Yes, Elsi still had her moment in the spotlight with her boundless energy, but most, if not all of it was channelled into learning the bass and getting better at it.

In fact, Elsi had gotten much better than she had thought she would be but Haqua missed the silly but painfully cheerful Elsi that seemed to brighten everything around her.

Right now Elsi was trying too hard and for as for why, Haqua knew that it was to impress Keima and to get him to look at her, even for just a while longer.

It was... as the two of them had suspected and the sole reason for why her Weiss detector was turned off

Katsuragi Elsi, no, Elucia de Rux Ima and member of the Weiss Capturing Squad like herself, had a Weiss lingering inside her.

* * *

..

As to why and how it had happened, Haqua hadn't a clue and when Keima asked her about it, Haqua could only admit that it had triggered the night when she found Elsi out in the streets. Also at that time, it was when she confronted Keima about the situation earlier that day when they had returned home, taking advantage of Elsi taking a bath to speak to him.

Elsi had a Weiss that was hiding inside her for quite some time now and she wanted to know whether Keima was aware of that.

'I wasn't... but from your behavior, I knew that something was wrong with Elsi; I just wasn't 100% sure till you confirmed it for me.'

Shrugging as he sat back on his chair in his room, Haqua felt a little bad about disturbing Keima when he was working, but from the way he hurriedly stuffed the paperwork into his drawers, it was probably stuff that she didn't approve of.

'Now that you know, what are you going to do about it? I registered this Weiss under me with a different name... so other demons won't come near Elsi till it is captured. The Weiss must be strong or it must be feeding off Elsi as her own detector didn't react to it at all.'

'New Hell has their flaws as you can see... well, we can worry about it later.'

Keima tried to shrug off the issue but Haqua was having none of that and she tied Keima to his chair and demanded that he do something about it.

'Elsi is your sister, Keima! Your sister! You should be more concerned about her! She has a weiss inside her... that shows how much suffering she is going through...'

Haqua was crying now as she didn't want Elsi, sweet and dependable Elsi and her best friend to be subjected to the Weiss's influence or power like she had before. It was a terrible feeling, like the end of the world plus, the worst day of her life all rolled into one and repeating itself endlessly. That was how terrible it was! No way was she going to let Elsi spend another second with it.

'I'm sure that you are nervous and unhappy about the situation, Haqua, but would you mind releasing me? It's hard to speak when I'm tied up.'

When Haqua shook her head and said that he wasn't going anywhere till he explained himself, Keima sighed and nodded his head.

'Fine. First of all, we would need to amend your statements to make it more truthful.'

Taking a deep breath, Keima started by stating that Elsi was not his sister, as neither was she related by blood nor was she a human.

'She is a demon hunter like you from the Weiss Capturing Squad. Admit that, Haqua.'

'I... I suppose but still-!'

'She is my partner and the collar around my neck symbolizes it the most. My fate is tied to hers, and her pain is my pain; why would you question that I am not concerned about her situation, Haqua?'

He replied coldly before Haqua could say any more and after his words, Keima found the raiment tying him in place loosened and he straightened his collar sternly at Haqua.

'G-Gomen... I should have thought of that.'

'Don't do that again... please.'

Keima sighed before he asked her to sit down again to listen to his words.

..

'Yes, Elsi has a Weiss inside her, and unlike your experience, the Weiss has not taken control of her body or her sense of self like yours did. Well, we can't guarantee that till we confront the Weiss itself, but it is safe to say that even if it was influencing Elsi, she still has control over her own actions to some extent. It is definitely influencing her personality however, that we can be sure of.'

'So you noticed her change in personality, Keima?'

'I did and that was why I took up her role as the motivator in the band. She is the mood generator and influencer all rolled into one and the band would suffer without her cheerfulness, as much as I wish to question where she got her endless optimism from...Chihiro and Ayumi might be able to carry one of those roles but not both...'

Keima's remark made Haqua laugh and she nodded in understanding to his words; it was true, Elsi was too optimistic for her own good and that was one thing that she sorely missed.

'By taking the center stage, I was able to draw attention away from her and helped to stabilize the situation... my goal then was to trigger the memory of the girls as well as to see whether there are any overlaps but in the process I inadvertently made the gap in Elsi's heart widen due to the lack of attention I paid on her, I'm sure that you noticed that and I am probably the cause for the Weiss taking refuge in her heart.'

Lowering his eyes, Haqua knew that it wasn't often that Keima admitted that he was wrong and she didn't press him on that matter, only encouraging him to continue on.

'Despite that lapse, I am pleased to say that even while the gap in Elsi's heart was growing, I was able to prevent Elsi from behaving more erratically and out of character by having her focus her attention on practicing her bass. Without that motivation or method to reach out to me, the gap in her heart would have most likely widened significantly. As long as I was able to continue to praise her and pay attention to Elsi's progress with the bass, she would be able to contain the gap in her heart to a certain extent.'

Basically Keima's demand that the 2B Pencils keep on practicing as well as his constant attention on the girl's playing had created an even playing field for Elsi, Chihiro and Ayumi without himself noticing it.

'To be honest, I had done that to ensure that the girl's worries would be isolated within themselves for me to tackle them individually but it had worked out for the best... if Elsi and her Weiss could sense that it was an even and fair competition, the gap in her heart would be restricted and contained.'

Haqua nodded in acknowledgement at the stroke of luck, or perhaps blessing even as Keima continued earnestly.

..

'It seemed that everything was going on well: Elsi's Weiss was under control for most part... there hadn't been any changes in her situation ever since you confronted me about her, had she?'

'No she hadn't... I can't be 100% sure but I know that she hadn't been acting weirdly any more... just focused on her playing, that's all... oh right, she could literally die for your attention now, Katsuragi...'

Hitting him lightly on the shoulder, Haqua didn't laugh when Keima said that was just the beginning.

'It would have worked fine... I just needed more time, but it seemed that the **real** is working against me.'

'The... **real?**'

'Ignore what I said earlier, Haqua... but the truth was that ideally I would have wanted to find the culprit before we turned our attention to Elsi's Weiss, but the situation has became dire. That is my reason for calling off the operation to flush out the culprit... As the **Capturing God**, I know that we have reached a crisis point... Ayumi's confession aside...'

Keima was unable to continue when Haqua reached out to grab his collar to demand answers.

'Ayumi confessed? What? When? Why? How?'

It was enough to wake the dead and Keima had to hit her on the head sternly to get her to calm down.

'Welcome to the club, Haqua... everyone but you noticed.'

As this was immediately after Chihiro's confession, Keima was right on that point as even Elsi could sense the difference between how Ayumi treated him before and after her confession.

'W-What did she see in you...'

Ignoring Haqua who groaned in confusion, Keima made a small remark that Haqua herself had came close to confessing too and the demon clammed up after that, choosing to stare daggers at Keima as he continued.

'Ahem... Ayumi's confession aside... I can be certain when I said that it is the time where the ending diverges.'

'Pardon... me?'

Haqua didn't get him and Keima didn't blame her, and so he explained to her with a sigh that they were at the point where he would need to choose a girl to follow for her 'ending' and subsequent capture.

'None of them are capture targets, Keima! Elsi is the one that should be dealt with first!'

That was the truth, and Haqua's indignation at Keima putting her friend off for so long was finally boiling over. When would he see that they should deal with Elsi's Weiss first?

'That is impossible. Elsi's and my relationship is that of a brother and a sister. I cannot 'capture' her, for it would mean the end of not only our current relation but the 2B Pencils as well. I am sure that you would not want Ayumi, Chihiro or even Kanon be potential Weiss hosts again?'

..

His words rang true and Haqua's argument died in her throat as she nodded her head while asking him what was his plans.

'Following with the capture of one of the girls; at least, that would be what all of them would believe. With Kanon interfering into the balance that I created, I have no other choice but to have the Weiss grow in strength... what I would need you to do for me, Haqua, is to monitor Elsi closely. The gap in Elsi's heart would no doubt start to grow again as I pursue the alternative route.'

'If Kanon hadn't came into the picture, what would you have done, Katsuragi? And why Kanon... you are... going after Kanon, right?'

'That is the wrong way to phrase it... Kanon has left me with no choice... after spending the day with her, I am certain that her love points have maxed out. Considering everything that I know of Kanon and the other girls, the most dangerous and unstable one of all is her, Nakagawa Kanon. Since her love points are maxed, I'll be killing two birds with one stone if I followed her route.'

Nodding, Keima pointed out to Haqua how Kanon had behaved in the past when she was a capturing target.

'A _yandere_ that is extremely dangerous for herself, her love rivals, and of course for me as the object of her affection. As Ayumi and Chihiro had each other to counter balance each other, they have done so to great effect in the band... remember how I mentioned about the level playing field? If not for Ayumi, Chihiro and Elsi forming the base of that and providing competition for each other, we would not have been able to keep Elsi's Weiss at bay. As it is, right now our priority is to manage Kanon even if it means that Ayumi, Chihiro and of course, Elsi would be sidelined. That is the **real **for you Haqua.'

He seemed to be adamant about this decision and Haqua had no choice but to agree with him.

'That said, I am not capturing Kanon per-se... from my observations she is still concerned about the 2B Pencils and it is something I should encourage. Going down her route and 'capturing' her is guaranteed at this point but if I do that, it'll mean that the other girl's routes are sealed. It is a simple thing to understand, Haqua... stop looking so confused. If I go out with Kanon, the odds that the 2B Pencils being able to perform on the same stage would drop to almost zero.

That is a fact, try as you must to resist that fate but the **real ** and the **world **works in surprising ways. Thus, it is important for me to ensure that the competition between Kanon and the 2B Pencils is maintained till the Mai-High Festival. That is the requirement, would you assist me on that, Haqua?'

Crossing his arms, Keima looked at the demon that he had rejected and was relieved to see her coughing and nodding her head after listening to him.

'That's not the way to ask, Keima... I'm the district chief... and it's my job to take care of Elsi, and make sure trouble doesn't happen around her... so... er... W-well, it's not that I have a choice to not help you or anything.'

Haqua had a tsundere moment right there and immediately after the two of them laughed a little at their little exchange.

..

'You... must save Elsi, you hear me... Katsuragi?'

That was Haqua's last words before she ran off to join her friend in her room.

* * *

..

'I'll help you for as long as it takes, Elsi... so don't... don't give up.'

Haqua said so emotionally before reaching out to hug her confused best friend, who brightened a little at hearing that from her.

'Haqua... thank you, I'll do my best, so Haqua do your best too! We have to get better for Kami-Onii-sama~'

Showing her another smile, Elsi went back to her strumming while Haqua nodded and went back to work as well, hoping and praying that Keima was right and that Elsi's Weiss would stay under her control till the end.

_'There is no need to worry, Elsi is stronger than you look... we won't be in any danger as Elsi would never wish to hurt any one of us... much less Kanon... and that's why I'm worried... if she ever goes berserk... I want you to not hesitate. Even if she is Elsi... the moment that her Weiss takes over, she is no longer the Elsi that you know. You will have to retrain her or it would be too late. Everything that we have achieved so far would be for naught. Remember that, Haqua.'_

His face, stern and serious burned itself into her heart and despite her reassuring him that she would, she wondered when the punch comes to the shove, would she have the heart to take Elsi down.

* * *

**Author's Notes: That said... first time I had such a one-sided poll result. But hey, I expected nothing less. R&R. Please! **


	68. Progression

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 68: Progression**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: This release is earlier as I will be busy over the weekend... I hate driving.**

**This release is brought to you thanks to _Kaiser Dude_ for the excellent beta as always!  
**

* * *

..

'Y-You're what? You are going to help Kanon too?'

Looking at him in disbelief, Kosaka Chihiro almost dropped her guitar in shock as Keima approached her the next day before class started. She had been late due to the fans that had stalked all of the 2B Pencils, and although she was happy, she was embarrassed as well at the attention they were receiving.

It was like Keima said; they were now famous in school, and their every gesture and action would mean life and death for the group as a whole. Chihiro wondered how Kanon does it, being seen as perfect and pretty all the time but she realized that she shouldn't be complaining at all.

To be really honest, Chihiro wondered what would be the natural way to approach Keima today, seeing that she confessed to him and all, but it seemed that Keima wasn't at all worried about that as he merely treated her in the same way as usual, greeting her with a small nod before signalling that he wanted to talk to her in private.

The other girls were all in class by now as Chihiro could make out the sound of Elsi's laughter coming from the class and she followed Keima curiously till they were a block away near the science labs.

She had wondered what could he want to say, and although she ruled out the possibility that Keima would want to tell her that he would return her feelings, it was too good to be true after all.

Even so, even so... Chihiro couldn't but feel a little nervous as Keima looked at her in what they all termed the 'serious face', where his glasses were pushed high up on the bridge of his nose and how his eyes narrowed slightly while looking at them.

That was when he dropped the bombshell that he had been asked to help Kanon out as an assistant manager.

Funny enough Chihiro didn't think he was joking, and her first words were the ones above as Keima looked at her evenly, taking in her response calmly.

'Yes, that's what I said, Kosaka... I want to know how you feel about it. I know that I promised that I would help all of you reach Mai-High and of course, challenge Kanon... but this is an opportunity that would never come again if I refuse it.'

He made sense too, and Chihiro swallowed the words that she was about to say and adopted a thoughtful expression as she leaned against the wall beside him.

'Even if you ask me... I shouldn't be the one to help you make the decision, Katsuragi... you should be the one to make that decision for yourself, desho? After all, it concerns your future.'

Being strangely mature about it, Keima called her out on that and he smiled a little as Chihiro turned red and looked away while resting her head against the wall as well.

'W-Well duh... I've been thinking about the future too, seeing that you told me that the 2B Pencils... are depending on me. Was that you hinting to me last night? That's so unfair of you, Katsuragi... although I guess you told me in the end...'

Putting two and two together, Keima's opinion of Chihiro rose slightly as he smiled at the girl beside her. She was ready, a little rough and unpolished but no doubt ready to take over the group again.

Keima suspected that Chihiro really was a sleeping dragon who had not awakened her hidden prowess as she did possess quite a fair amount of talent and if properly encouraged, was hard working as well.

This was what he determined at the start and of course, she had a luck and leadership skills to be able to form a functional girl-band by herself before he even intervened. As she was the leader at the start, it was logical for her to take her rightful place at the top again.

..

'You're ready. You'll do.'

Keima addressed Chihiro suddenly and even as she blushed while Keima rested a hand on her shoulders, Chihiro's expression turned serious when Keima's softened instead.

'I'll do what I can from now on. But you're the leader of the 2B Pencils. It's your job to lead them through this crisis by yourself. Even if I'm not by your side all the time from now on, I'll be there when you need me the most. That I promise you'

There was a sense of finality in his words and for a wonder, Chihiro picked it up. After a while, after she finished consolidating her own conflicted thoughts about this development, nodded her head, and asked softly even as she lowered her head.

'When did it start going wrong then, Katsuragi? When I confessed to you? Or when you met up with Kanon? When was it?'

It seems that Chihiro wasn't going to blame Ayumi for what had happened and Keima felt heartened that at least she was directing the negative feelings and emotions to Kanon and in extension, their duel with her on the stage.

It was surely going to be a very charged up Mai-High and Katsuragi Keima was looking forward to it just a little.

'I don't know... perhaps it all went wrong when I approached all of you to make amends.'

Keima spoke the truth to her as he wondered if there was a way all of this could have been avoided; the bonds that he has really forged with the girls, the many scenes and events that he has triggered, the competition that he had rigged up between Kanon and the 2B Pencils. But most importantly, the rivalry, friendship and fame that he has build up during this entire operation.

But it was too late to regret it now; he was the person who started the wheel turning and he will see to it that it ended in the route and ending that he desired.

The one ending that was almost impossible to reach but to him, the **Capturing God**, there was no such thing as an impossible route.

'Perhaps it was then that it all began... there was perhaps no way to avoid this in the end, Chihiro.'

Calling her name again, Keima watched as Chihiro nodded and wiped away the tears that were forming on her eyes.

'I'm done crying now, Katsuragi... Now is not the time for tears right? You're not leaving us, you're just going to be watching us from another place... that's what I'll tell them.'

'Yes, that is a way to put it... and there's no escaping the work and practices that I prepared for all of you.'

Producing another binder out from his bag, Keima shook his head as Chihiro's jaw dropped at the amount of paper work that he had readied for them.

'Besides the score for the songs that you would be playing for the actual day, there are the new practice scores that I want all of you to go through. I heard that you wish to draft and create your own songs? Well, I prepared some notes on how you could do that as well as a CD you could try to test out your tones in.'

Walking Chihiro back to class, Keima told her about what he wanted all of them to do while he was away or not around, causing Chihiro to feel much more reassured and more awed at how Keima was able to prepare as well as to plan out a training schedule for all of them in just one night.

'Have you... been preparing for this earlier? You told me that this day was inevitable but were you preparing for it earlier?'

Taking the binder from him, Chihiro stuffed it into her bag with some difficulty even as Keima nodded his head while whipping out his PFP to start playing again.

'… It was inevitable... but I had tried my best to delay it as long as I thought was possible... now that they had formally asked for my help, I... can't delay it any more.'

Stopping abruptly, Chihiro looked back as Keima nodded to Chihiro and then subsequently bowed to her.

'Please forgive me for being a little selfish...'

'… I think that... you have the right to say that, Katsuragi... you did so much for us... and you're still going to continue helping us from behind right?'

The web page, the updates, the Youtube channel as well as their Twitter accounts were still going to be managed by him and seeing that he wanted taped recordings of their sessions, Chihiro knew that he was going to work himself bare to support the two groups, the 2B Pencils as well as Nakagawa Kanon.

'I'll help you tell the rest, Katsuragi... so... don't worry too much. It's going to be alright!~'

Smiling at him, Keima closed his eyes and nodded even as Chihiro grinned and showed him a V-sign for victory.

'Daijobu, Daijobu... Of course, that doesn't mean that you'll get away with the answer that you're supposed to give me and Ayumi though.'

Smiling a little shrewdly as Keima paled slightly, Chihiro was about to take off for class after Keima said that he was going to skip the first lesson when he asked her again.

'Why... are you so supportive of what I said, Chihiro?'

'Well... I don't know myself.'

..

Rubbing her chin, Chihiro shrugged as she replied slowly, working her way through the words even as she slung her guitar over her back.

'Kanon-chan... she is something important to you as well, isn't she, Katsuragi? If she wasn't you wouldn't have agreed to helping her. The Katsuragi that I and we know does everything for a reason, except for your games... we don't get what you want with the games at all but... but... but!'

Raising a finger as she grinned at Keima, Chihiro seemed to have Keima all figured out as she turned her back at him while replying.

'We all know that Katsuragi-kun always does things for a reason~ If there is a reason for you to help Kanon-chan, I wouldn't object... I think the others won't either...~ We'll work hard, Katsuragi... so don't be too surprised when you listen to our practice tapes!'

Pumping a fist into the air before she entered their classroom, Katsuragi Keima wondered if the stage was set properly for the next scene. He could only hope that it was as everything seemed to be progressing fine in the 2B Pencils' end.

'Now to seal the deal.'

Keima told himself as he started typing a mail to Kanon as dark clouds started gathering ominously around Mai-High.

* * *

..

'So he made up his mind, huh.'

Speaking to no one in particular, Terada Miyako watched on dreamily as the raindrops hitting the windows of the classroom got even pronounced, and after a few minutes, it started to pour as home room started.

Chihiro had told them that Keima wouldn't be joining them today too as he had other issues to handle and Chihiro had surprisingly dodged most of the questions that Ayumi raised while handing out notes to all of them.

As someone who knew of the situation, Miyako had passed a note to Chihiro with the words: 'Is he helping Kanon?' before class started and the moment when Chihiro passed back the note with the answer scribbled on it hastily; Miyako had been unable to concentrate on the classes at all.

What was he doing now? Was he helping Kanon right now? Or was he negotiating on their behalf? It was really something that she didn't want to think about but she couldn't help herself.

All of a sudden, the world or the day seemed to be a little less interesting than before, like it was in black-white and Miyako sighed again while flipping the pages of her textbook.

It's going to be a long day ahead indeed.

..

For Takahara Ayumi, it was the same but unlike Miyako she didn't know the exact circumstances of what happened but she could guess what happened. Unfortunately though, her imagination wasn't as rich or vivid as some of the other girls, and she couldn't come up with any bright ideas or hints as to why Keima did that.

It was thankful, too, that Ayumi was too distracted by her own thoughts to notice that the only two seats with their occupants missing today were Nakagawa Kanon and Katsuragi Keima.

If she did, there would be no doubt that she would have realized what was going on, seeing how the entire class had seen how Kanon had spoken and even walked in to class with him just the other day.

For now, the only member of the 2B Pencils who were not in the loop continued wrecking her mind for any possible clues or hints as to what he could be doing for them.

Thankfully, or perhaps sadly, the last member of the 2B Pencils in the class 2B wasn't so carefree or was she as passive as Terada Miyako.

..

Katsuragi Elsi found herself staring at a cover of Nakagawa Kanon without her realizing it and the more she stared at it, the more she found herself wanting to tear that cover to tiny little bits. Of course, she didn't succumb to that urge as she carefully placed the magazine back in her bag, wondering why she had that in her bag.

'… That's right... I loved Kanon-chan.'

She did love Kanon, she literally worshipped her, but that idol that she has looked up to for so long suddenly didn't seem that beautiful, talented or lovely any more. In fact, unless Elsi was dreaming, she swore that Kanon was laughing at her, mocking her for not being able to hold on to the thing that had been the dearest and closest to her and instead had ceded it to her.

'… Kanon-chan...?'

Looking at her bag intently, Elsi's train of thought was broken when her name was called and she looked up to see Nikaido Yuri looking at her in concern.

'Katsuragi imouto, are you feeling alright?'

"H-Hai, Sensei. I'm fine.'

'You don't... go report to the infirmary now.'

Looking down at her sternly, Nikaido Yuri even took the initiative to walk with her to the infirmary by herself, the first time that she had ever shown concern for a student and the entire class was in shock as she and Elsi left together.

'H-Hey, is Elsi-chan alright?'

'I... I don't know either, I know she's usually daydreaming but... she does seem odd today.'

Whispering to Ayumi, Chihiro wondered what was up even as Miyako just sighed and felt a little complicated inside. The feelings that Elsi had for her brother was as plain as day, even if Miyako didn't really want to admit it, it was the truth after all.

'Why is everything so complicated here?'

Not only she had to tend to her own feelings, Miyako really wanted a solo emo party by herself but she had to help her friends too. This was really just a little too much.

'… But if I don't...'

If she don't, the entire band could fall apart and that was one thing that she didn't want to see, not because of one person and when it wasn't really his fault.

Kinda, kinda...

* * *

..

It turns out that Keima had other problems of his own and right now he was addressing those problems personally as he had made another call subsequently, calling the instigator of the route that he was about to follow down.

Still dressed in his school uniform and PFP in hand, Keima waited at a small cafe that they had frequented before with a cup of tea at hand. He had refused point blank to discuss the matter over the phone and asked her to meet him here, away from prying eyes and most importantly, away from Nakagawa Kanon.

'Good morning, Tomoe-san.'

He greeted her but as usual, didn't even put down his PFP while doing so and if Tomoe Okada, Kanon's manager, felt a little annoyed at that, she didn't show it and instead sat down in the seat in front of him.

Keima had chosen a seat that is situated far away from the door and the windows to ensure that they were really having a private and privileged conversation.

'Surprising as always, Katsuragi. I did not think that you would be the one to initiate a meeting. You are a very surprising young man indeed.'

Smiling thinly as she ordered a cup of coffee, Okada informed Keima that he only had a while as she had to rush to pick up Kanon for another photo shoot.

'I surmised as much. I will keep it short and concise as possible. I did mail Kanon of my plans as well as what I intend to do... but I would like you to know as well.'

'Well, don't keep me waiting, Katsuragi. What have you decided?'

Tomoe Okada was literally smirking now as she knew what Keima would say, it was an opportunity not offered to many and what's more, he would receive Kanon as a side gift as she was sure that the idol she was managing would offer herself on a silver platter for the boy that she liked.

Not that she would ever want that to be exposed or reported, Nakagawa Kanon has her reputation to think about and if the two of them did get into a relationship, they would have to change Keima's image to make him the best partner for Kanon.

'I've decided that I would offer my services to Kanon, with your blessings as well. Of course, I can't agree on a full-time position, I am studying after all and there are other concerns that I have to address.'

'I'm sure that you meant the other band that you are helping with, the 2B Pencils was it? If you can juggle the workload efficiently, I see no reason for you to be unable to continue with your duties.'

Tomoe Okada told Keima evenly and she wasn't surprised to see him nodding his head in understanding.

..

'That was my intention from the start, I am glad to see that you can accept that. I do not wish to abandon those girls as well, even if it is for Kanon.'

As he sipped his tea, Okada felt a little disappointed in him. She was certain and perhaps hopeful that he would ditch everything around him to grab this opportunity and of course, put all his attention and effort into helping Kanon.

Instead, he didn't want to give up what he had while still trying to embrace the new... he was either foolish or very ambitious and she couldn't tell which.

'There are a few things that I would like to ask you for help though... if you do, I'll be indebted to you.'

'Oh? Why the sudden requests, Katsuragi? That is unlike you at all.'

'Well, I am certain that you wish for me to help Kanon as well... it is troubling for you, and to an extent, to me as well, but I am certain that if I take back my word, Kanon would be devastated... even so, you shouldn't take this as a threat, take it as a former request from me, as well as a favor.'

It was incredible, was he blackmailing her? This boy has more guts than she thought, and despite herself and the situation, Tomoe Okada laughed while her coffee was being served to her.

'Of all the things... you came and tell me this. Fine, I will listen to you, Katsuragi, although I don't guarantee that I'll do what you ask me to.'

'That is a line that is repeated countless times. That said, I would appreciate it if you do take my request.'

'Oh? Well, spit it out, Katsuragi. Let me hear what you are so confident about.'

The battle of wills continued unobserved by the girls as the **Capturing God** locked horns with the Female Manager.

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R, Please? Ahaha~**


	69. Time Skip

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 69: Time Skip**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Here's your weekly dose of AZ. Brought to you with the help of _Kaiser Dude_. Thanks man!**

* * *

...

The **Capturing God,** Katsuragi Keima smiled at Tomoe Okada's challenge and he nodded.

'All I ask is for your assistance in being a judge for the Mai-High's Festival Concert. There would be a concert in the Mai-High Festival where Kanon is slated to be a guest singer, am I not right? The audition for the groups that would be performing on that day is going to be held next week. I'm asking you to be one of the judges for the Audition, for a chance to be a special guest performer together with Kanon.'

It was a request that Okada didn't expect and she didn't get his motives as to why he would do that till she realized what he was hinting.

'Are you going out of the way to give that band another dose of fame? By being a guest group of Kanon, you are hinting and insinuating that Kanon acknowledges the group. I am not letting the 2B Pencils or any other band to get that chance. You of all people should know how much that would benefit them as a group. I'm surprised you even got the cheek to ask for such a ridiculous request. We've turned down so many other better groups that are in the entertainment industry who begged us for a chance to star along side Kanon... and you are asking me to just give those girls that chance on a silver platter?'

She was insulted by his audacity but in the same time, intrigued at how he would even have the courage to ask that of her. She had expected much more out of him and just by that fact alone, Tomoe Okada wondered what cards he had in his hands to make him even suggest that to him.

Thus, she wasn't surprised and even smiled in satisfaction as Keima replied with a straight face, a look that she would have to take note of as it reminded her of a certain poker-faced individual that was now managing the one of the top idol bands in the industry. It was really uncanny how he reminded her of that successful manager.

'Kanon herself insinuated a challenge for me and the 2B Pencils and of course, I am confident enough to say that regardless of any bias against them, coming from me or you, that they will surprise you. That said, I'm not selfish enough to say that I would want you to rig the audition in their favor. But would rather request that if they make the cut and of course, catch your eye and meets your standard, that Tomoe-san grant them that opportunity to be on the same stage as Kanon. Of course, if they do not make the cut, I do not see why you would be in any way obligated to give them that chance.'

'… You are strangely confident, Katsuragi... are those girls that good?'

Looking at him curiously, Tomoe Okada wondered how those girls would perform or even fare against Kanon but how confident Keima was did make an impression on her.

'We would see on that day. Regardless of whether it is as a special guest or as the main event by the school, Kanon would take note... the challenge that she issued, would surely be revealed to you eventually by her. So do not fret or worry about my request.'

Shrugging as he leaned back against his chair, Okada had to marvel at his composure, confidence and of course, him calculating every single thing that was laid in front of her.

But there was no promises or any bargains to be made and it seemed that he was only too aware of that as he looked at her evenly while waiting for an answer.

'I'll consider it, Katsuragi... you made quite an interesting proposal and one that is worthy of my time.'

Nodding and smiling back, Tomoe Okada stood up and took her leave but not before stating that she expected him to report to work on time today.

'Kanon would be working on her new single, so I expect you to be present, if only to serve as a motivating factor.'

'I give you my word.'

* * *

..

It was going to be a long day, or a long week for Katsuragi Keima and the girls as with their new found fame, in more ways than one, all of them were kept busy with their daily routines.

With Keima's careful manipulating of the upload timings, their constant updates on their twitter account and of course, the biography that he had requested from the girls, the 2B Pencils went from relatively unknowns, to mini-celebrities and of course from underdog to favourites for the Main Even for the Mai-High Festival.

It was like David taking on Goliath and for the most part it was a successful endeavour as from the tapes that Keima was listening too, they were getting better and better. Now, it was not a very steep jump from where they left off as one can never expect them to have a spectacular and explosive growth like in Anime or in Manga but they were getting much more familiar with their instruments as well as playing together a group.

Gone was the slight hesitation, the miscommunication and the break in tempo that could be heard in the naked ear, their playing was smooth, in sync and most importantly, consistent.

The girls were most likely influenced by the mood and euphoria of their first Live performance and played at their best then, a feat that Keima wanted them to repeat regularly and for it to be the norm.

A feat that the girls were trying their best to achieve as they practised hard everyday after school, with or without his presence.

Due to Kanon's busy schedule, Keima wasn't around as often as he liked but he did managed to catch up with the girls after their practises in Cafe Grampa.

..

It wasn't often that an entire town was so excited about a locally grown group, and Keima was determined to milk that to his advantage as much as he can.

In fact, he mooted the idea of the 2B Pencils performing at Cafe Grampa if not for the violent objection of Mari, who simply stated that the girls needed rest.

All of them were working hard on the practises that he had given them and of course, the songs for the audition as well.

If not for Mari being so concerned and of course, so enamoured by the girls as to provide herbal tea and generally being a surrogate mother to all of them, welcoming them to use the Cafe as a base of sorts and even agreed to a few sleepovers when the girls were too tired. If not for Mari's attention and care Keima was certain that the girls would fall ill.

Then again, was this a part of his plans too? No one knew for sure as night after night, Keima would tutor the girls in their homework and spent time with them despite how tired he was to ensure that the girls' affection points remained high and untouched.

No more was said about the confession from either of the girls and Keima made sure to spread his attention out evenly amongst all of the girls, yes, even Haqua.

..

It was a relief to know that Elsi's situation had stabilized after the second session where he missed. Although he wasn't there physically, Haqua admitted that his presence was still noticeable as none of the girls complained about the repetitive exercises that Keima asked them to do every single session and in fact was even more serious about it as they did their individual exercises

From Haqua's daily update, the girls were more pumped up than ever and their friendship was stronger as well as they helped each other when practising, like when Ayumi gave pointers to Chihiro on her guitar and Miyako providing advice and tips she learnt from her piano sessions.

The girls hung out together during lunch as well, a habit that was forced on them in some extent as some overzealous fans would always want to 'hang' out with them. Ayumi was probably the reason for that as after being hit on by as many as ten individuals on her way to school, she practically flew to school, something which Keima knew wasn't an exaggeration due to her being in the track-and-field club.

When they travelled in the group, they were able to keep the more overzealous fans at bay while ensuring that all of them were able to keep track of each other's 'image' to a certain extent.

The girl's popularity were rising the more Keima kept up with his publicity and he took pains to ensure that their image was still squeaky clean by reminding them every day of the Three 'S's as well as monitoring and deleting unsavoury comments as soon as they popped up in their feeds or in their pages.

Tempting as it might be to have a poll to determine which of the girls were more popular, Keima decided against it as it would be working against him as well.

The traffic for their online presences was getting a little overwhelming and it seems that the club that they performed at was getting brisk business due to their little gig there and they made a formal request for them to perform there as well, a request which Keima declined till a further date.

..

Another thing to note was that the girls were indeed working on a new song for their debut in the Mai-High Festival and surprisingly was keeping that song a secret from Keima. They were adamant in keeping it secret although they wished to perform that song during the festival itself but to their surprise, Keima had merely nodded and agreed, saying that he'll schedule it for them along with the rest of the songs that he had prepared for them to perform on that day.

None of the girls had any objections to the song that they were going to perform and they even took time to download or buy the CDs of those songs to get a better feel of how it was supposed to be like.

Still, Keima wished that he could have a look at the lyrics that they were planning but he shouldn't push his luck that much. Apparently Chihiro was writing the lyrics with help from the others while Miyako was in charge of refining and working on the tune that the girls agreed on.

As it was a group effort, Keima had no objections and even found it a good way to keep the girls together.

..

He too was helping Kanon with her recording, accompanying her to her interviews or talk shows and generally helping in every way that he could while her crew marvelled at how hard he was working himself. He was as silent as always, preferring to let his actions speak on his behalf and for the most part, it worked quite well... even if he didn't score too much points in the socializing factor.

His work with Kanon had an unexpected side effect as he took notes on how Kanon conducted her voice-training together with the lessons that she received on her dance moves, it proved valuable as he was able to refine and add more exercises to help Ayumi and the rest with their own performances.

Kanon appreciated the help that Keima provided as he had an almost photographic memory, enabling him to remember even the most minute of details and as he was fond of and used to detailing and planning out entire routes in a galge, Keima was able to save time and efficiency by rearranging some of Kanon's schedules to make it easier for the Idol.

His remedial lessons for her homework was something that Kanon looked forward to very much and of course, that resulted in the love points for Kanon increasing daily as well.

Keima's presence or perhaps, influence made it easier for Kanon to concentrate on her work and at times, unfortunately, prove to be a distraction as Kanon was prone to getting flustered when going for photo shoots for her albums or for magazine covers with Keima hovering near by.

That said, Okada Tomoe noted that his influence changed Kanon by a significant amount as she had never seen Kanon enjoying her work more than now. Sure, Kanon had always been obliging and very helpful to her crew but more often than not, despite putting up a brave front, Okada knew that she was quite worn out from the busy schedule everyday. Sleeping 4 hours a day didn't help her case either but with Keima's assistance and perhaps intervention, he was strongly opposed to travelling far distances from one area to another within a tight schedule as it would tire Kanon out even more.

Even with his interference, Kanon did get much more done in a shorter time than what was required before, thus increasing Kanon's sleep-cycle by quite a bit.

..

He, Katsuragi Keima himself was a source of concern for the girls as well as he was really running himself ragged day after day, getting by with barely 4 hours of sleep before getting up and preparing for the next day.

What makes it even more incredible was how he still continued to game in school, his hands clicking away at his PFP during lunch or during breaks between classes, this habit had been toned down since he started working with the 2B Pencils and it was a huge sacrifice on his part, that is if he was actually paying attention to school, instead he was working on his tasks for Kanon, either copying down remedial questions for her revision or doing some analysis that Tomoe Okada had asked of him.

All in all, it wouldn't be too surprising if he fainted or lost consciousness due to the lack of sleep but despite everything, he kept soldiering on day after day as the date for the rehearsal drew ever closer.

* * *

..

'Aww... I'm tired.'

Stretching out, Takahara Ayumi tried not to yawn but it was a futile effort as she was just too tired after the entire days affair. It was Saturday night and they were staying over at the Katsuragi household once again.

For once, Keima was around and the girls had decided to go through even more practise sessions for Keima to judge their overall preparation for the audition on Tuesday afternoon.

He had given them comments and opinions after reviewing their practise tapes every day but there was nothing better than the actual thing and as it has been a while since Keima had listened to them live, they had hunkered down in Elsi's room for their practises. Surprisingly, Elsi's room must have been sound-proofed before as Mari nor the guests in the cafe were upset at them playing their music in her room.

It must be one of the considerations that Keima had considered before asking them over and Ayumi smiled at herself while remembering the comments and of course, some praises that he had given them.

They had really came a long way and from now on, at least according to him, it was all about individual improvements and of their own growth.

They were able to synchronize almost perfectly with each other now and it was all about polishing their performances for the audition.

No longer being the underdogs, Keima explained to them that all the pressure was on them and with that, there was really no difference as to when they'll be called up for the audition.

_'I stated before that it is generally best to be either the first on the stage or the last due to the impact that you deliver. But now that all of you are the most hyped group, not to mention the one which everyone was talking about, all you need to do is to have the confidence to deliver a performance that matches or even surpasses what they were expecting. That is your job for now. I would encourage all of you to take plenty of rest before the audition. It would do all of you good.'_

Ayumi wanted to say the same to him, there were visible eye bags under Keima's eyes and he was obviously finding it difficult to speak coherently at some intervals. Even so, he was _still_ playing his PFP while listening to them, a feat that was remarkable to all of them.

..

'Neh, Keima... kun?'

Ayumi walked over to the overworked manager to see that he was sleeping, with his eyes closed and his hands still gripping firmly on his PFP even while sitting on that chair.

'… Aww, he's asleep.'

Putting a finger on her lips, Ayumi told the rest of the girls of the fact and they all tip-toed quietly to see the rare sight of him dozing off.

'He looks... a little cute sleeping like that. They all say that sleeping babies are cute... so I guess this applies to him too?'

Looking a little awkward as Miyako stared at the sleeping face of Keima, the other girls laughed a little even as Elsi placed a blanket over him as he slept.

'We should go and take a break too, it wouldn't be nice if we wake him up as well.

'Mm mm... I'm tired too~'

As the girls made their way down to the cafe for a small break from their schedule, Elsi was the last to leave, turning the lights off her room and telling Keima to have a good rest.

'Sleep tight, Kami-Onii-sama!'

* * *

..

As the girls settled down at their seats in the Cafe, served by the ever friendly Katsuragi Mari, all of them dug into the cakes that Mari prepared quietly. They were all tired but excited at the same time as Keima had helped them perfect or at least, brought out their voices a little bit more than they thought they were capable of.

The lyrics and songs he choose were perfect for the job and the girls were quite happy with their version of the song with their voices and as Keima had gotten permission to sing those songs from the record companies through the school, it was a non-profitable performance after all, the girls knew that they were going to at least go out with a bang on that day.

That said, they were made aware of their fame in the small town as the paying guests that were in Cafe Grampa recognized them and they were greeted with compliments, shouts of support and encouragement from them, even from middle-aged housewives who told them that it was rare for kids nowadays to be so focused on the arts.

'Ahh~ I could do with another one!'

Cheering up as soon as she finished up her cake, Chihiro leaned against her seat while looking down at the songs that they were

practising. She liked them, very very much indeed and had even taken the time to download and subsequently buy a few CDs she liked, something she didn't think she'll do. Then again, she didn't think that her singing could be as 'good' as this.

Chihiro was a modest person and she didn't like blowing her own horn too much and even if Keima did tell her that her voice was comparable to some successful doujin singers, she refused to let the success get into her head.

'Mm mm~ Elsi-chan, your mother is a great cook! I'm sure that you are too!'

Looking up from her own cake, Miyako smiled as Haqua nodded in agreement. Even if Keima disagreed, Haqua knew that Elsi was a very good cook and upon hearing that, Miyako claimed that she would really want to have a taste of Elsi's cooking.

'Mind you, regardless of what Katsuragi-says, I can personally vouch for her as Elsi's cooking is _that_ good!'

Petting her on the head, Haqua showered praise on her even as the other girls got more excited at the prospect of tasting Elsi's delicious cooking.

'I-I'm not that good, Really! Really, Haqua, stop it!'

Pouting as Haqua continued to tease the poor girl, Elsi froze all of a sudden and that made all the other girls look at her in concern and then subsequently, at the person that was entering the front door.

'K-Kanon-chan?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Dun Dun Dunnn?! R&R would be nice. Good to see that I'm picking up pace here too. It's not.. normal for me to advertise for someone else here, but.. 'The Hill Of Swords' by gabriel blessing is a great fic. Hooked by it... just so that you know who to blame when updates come slower.  
**


	70. Confrontation?

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 70: Confrontation?**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Your weekly installment of AZ! Brought to you with the help from _Kaiser Dude_. Now that I have Vol.14 in my hands, I really apologize for how different my version of Shiori's story is from the official version in BRP...**

* * *

**..  
**

'Kanon-chan?'

Looking at the person that had stepped into the Cafe, it was Kanon alright and for some reason all of the girls tensed up upon seeing her. It wasn't the same reaction that all of them had when Kanon had stumbled on them while they were practicing, no, it was very different now as the girls had other things on their mind, not to mention that the situation was totally different.

It wasn't a friendly rivalry now; for Chihiro it was something personal and even for the other girls, they felt a little... awkward and perhaps a little unhappy at her being here.

It was like she was intruding on their home turf, if that made sense and all of them looked as Kanon, disguised with a large brown overcoat with a big beret, looked around anxiously as though looking for someone.

After a few seconds of this, Kanon looked panicked and seemed ready to leave when someone walked up to her abruptly.

Before the girls could react, or one can say, before Haqua could react, Elsi had went up to speak to Kanon and from the delighted look on Kanon's face, at least she remembered Elsi even as the other girls looked at each other in confusion.

'Why is Kanon here?'

'Did she come here for the cakes? Well, I know they are delicious...'

Looking at the plate of finished cakes, Miyako asked thoughtfully even as Chihiro fiddled with her phone urgently, dialling Keima's number and hoping that he'll pick up even as Elsi led Kanon back to their seat. With Elsi's help, Kanon's identity wasn't blown and the girls felt a little more comfortable with that.

Who knows what will happen if the restaurant started mobbing all of them or even worse, ask for signatures or a song from Kanon; that would be totally awkward.

With Mari being such a fan of Kanon and a staunch supporter of their girl band, it wasn't really impossible for that scenario to happen.

..

'Ah, good afternoon everyone! I didn't know that all of you were here as well~'

Smiling at all of them, Kanon sat down beside Chihiro who made space for her even as the other girls greeted her as well with nervous smiles on their face.

'Would you like something too? The cakes are really good!'

Ayumi smiled while calling Mari over with all of the girls pressing their fingers on her lips, Mari quickly caught on to what they and Kanon wanted and winked at them before serving up another cake and tea for Kanon. Of course, Mari asked for a signature from the idol while she was at it, something that Kanon gave to her happily.

'Mm mm~ It's really good... although I shouldn't be eating so many sweets.'

Smiling as she dug in, Kanon wasn't too disturbed by the lack of conversation between the 2B Pencils as they sat together with her. Elsi hadn't brought up what she had spoken to Kanon earlier while Chihiro wasn't getting through to Keima at all. He must be really tired today and on an impulse, she sent a mail over to Keima while holding Ayumi off, who was curious as to what she was doing with her phone.

'What are you doing there, Chihiro?'

Looking suspiciously at how she was mailing furiously, Ayumi was about to pull Chihiro's phone over to have a look when Miyako broke the silence by asking Kanon about school, how she was coping with it. It was a lousy topic, but Miyako continued running with it by saying that she and all of them had been practicing so hard that it was difficult to keep up studies, a fact that was true if not for Keima's assistance.

'How do you do it, Kanon? Your results have always been decent, unlike some of us~'

Smiling at Ayumi, who looked scandalized at that, she was about to retort when Miyako mentioned her test results in the previous semester but the joke was on her as Ayumi reminded her of her perfect 100% score the last mock test, causing the girls to giggle in agreement.

'Well, Miyako~~ What do you think about that?'

Smiling in pride, Ayumi laughed as Miyako nodded her head in agreement.

'That's right, I've forgotten about that... so many things have been happening recently, neh? How did Kanon-chan did during the last test?'

'I got full marks for it too, thanks to Keima-kun.'

Her words made all of the girls freeze for a moment, both surprised and feeling a little awkward at how Kanon called him by his first name; they should have known better as _everyone _now knew how _close_ the two of them were but it was still a little shocking to hear her call him so informally.

'Ayumi-san and Chihiro-san should know better, desho? You two were the ones tutored, along with Elsi-san, it was thankful that Elsi-san invited me to join all of you for that study session, or I'll never be able to score full marks.'

Smiling happily at all of them, Kanon was a little confused at how Ayumi and Chihiro seem to avert her eyes as Miyako stared at the two of them.

'Ohhh...? So Katsuragi-kun has been helping the two of you with your studies then... ehh? That might explain why Ayumi got a little bit cleverer~'

Making the atmosphere a little lighter again, Miyako laughed as Ayumi told Miyako that the 'little' was irrelevant and all of the girls laughed even as Elsi nodded her head in agreement.

'Kami-Onii-sama has always been smart, desho? He always manages to get full marks for his exams.'

Looking proud even though it was her accomplishment, all of the girls lapsed into silence in agreement, everyone of them thinking different thoughts as Kanon continued with her cake and explanation.

'I do revision by myself after work... I guess I'm living the life of a college student now, they always say that in college you need to choose two things from the standard three of: social life, results and sleep, although in my case it's a little different. So I chose work and results and gave up on sleep... I've been sleeping four hours every day for the past year.'

Looking more than a little tired, Kanon never stop smiling as she said that despite all the sacrifices that she had made over the past year, she knows that everything is worth it.

'I'm so close to achieving my dream... that I can almost feel it... so that's why I can't stop working!'

Looking genuinely happy, all of the girls congratulated Kanon even as she asked them how they were doing too.

'I hope that all of you would be able to perform in the Mai-High Festival too! It'll be my first time performing in school too, and so I hope to see you on the same stage too! I'm... having a special arrangement done, at least, that's what my manager told me... so look forward to it!'

Winking and smiling as all of them nodded, Ayumi took the initiative from Chihiro by telling Kanon that they were practicing hard everyday.

'Like Miyako-chan said, we're not sleeping well either... but we'll like it if you come down during the audition as well! We'll surely surprise you.'

'I saw the video of your first gig, Ayumi-san, I'm glad that it went well~ And I'm very impressed with how all of you performed! It's really very good!'

Looking surprised at Kanon admitting that she has been following up on their exploits as well, Kanon told them that she felt a little jealous that they were able to post freely on their website or Twitter account.

'I can't do that as my manager would want to filter my posts... so I'm very jealous that all of you can talk to your fans like that! I'm sure that all of you would be very successful with Keima-kun helping all of you.'

Was the girls imagining it or did Chihiro's eyebrow twitched a little before she nodded and smiled, causing the entire table to lapse into silence for the third time till Elsi, god bless her, broke the silence by asking the millionth dollar question.

..

'Kanon-chan, why did you come here today?'

Looking at her, studying her actually, Katsuragi Elsi seemed to have lost her patience with Kanon and unless the other girls were imagining it, looked ready to pounce on Kanon as the idol looked away from Elsi while stammering that she was here on business. It seemed that even Kanon felt something was wrong with Elsi's incessant stare and her question and was trying to find away to avoid telling her the truth.

'The cakes were delicious... desho? M-My co-worker told me that it's nice, and since I wasn't able to try some the last time I was here...'

Realizing that she has said something scandalous by admitting that she had been here before, Kanon turned redder than ever even as Elsi nodded in understanding.

'Oka-sama makes delicious cakes~ But Kanon-chan, what is this business you are speaking of? Could it be that... you are actually here to...'

In hindsight Kanon could have just stopped Elsi there and asked her politely to stop asking her questions. If that wasn't possible, to stop her firmly that she was intruding on her privacy. The girls however, knew that it wasn't so easy as Elsi had an aura about her, an aura that hinted that she would really do _anything_ to get Kanon to say the truth and it was that aura that prevented them, and not only Kanon from confronting Elsi about that fact.

It was a tricky situation for all of them, especially Chihiro as she was desperate to keep them from finding out that Keima was actually helping Kanon out during his absence. Sure, Chihiro knew that all of them suspected that to some degree but as long it was never verified, she knew the girls wouldn't make a fuss.

If it was made public, however, Chihiro didn't want to know what the backlash would be and she was desperately trying to find a way to distract Elsi, or at least reach Keima who would be able to defuse the situation.

He wasn't picking up and wasn't reading his mails either and Chihiro was on the depth of despair as Kanon opened her mouth to speak.

..

At least if not for Miyako, whose phone suddenly rang out and she fiddled with it awkwardly, apologizing that she had set a timer for when they should go back to practice.

'Ahaha~ Looks like we were here too long, we really should be going back to practice now, Kanon-chan~ C'mon, Elsi!'

Pulling on the young devil, who looked a little reluctant to leave, Elsi gave in in the end and bowed to Kanon politely before following Miyako. Following them was Ayumi, who clapped her hands in apology before leaving the table to pay their bill.

'Aren't you coming, Chihiro?'

'I'll be there in a bit, sorry! Let me finish my drink!'

Looking at them in apology, Chihiro appeared to be finishing her dream when she was really apologizing to Kanon for Elsi's behaviour towards her.

'Gomen, Elsi... has not taken the news very well.'

Looking surprised at Chihiro's words, Kanon's mood dampened a little as she nodded her head in understanding after Chihiro told her that Keima hasn't actually told the rest of them that he was helping Kanon out.

'So Chihiro-san is the only person who knows? I... I thought for sure that Keima-kun would tell all of you... M-Mind you, it's not that... I want to steal him from all of you...'

Looking awkward as she fidgeted in her seat, Kanon looked suspiciously guilty as she apologized for taking so much of Keima's time as well.

'I understand that he has commitments too, and that makes it difficult for him to make a choice between the two of us.'

Granted, Chihiro knew that Kanon was too polite to say that Keima has chosen _her_ but she has to make it clear to Kanon that it was _not_ the case at all.

'It might seem that way... but Katsuragi is still our manager, our only manager... even if he is helping you, Kanon-chan. I hope that you would understand that as well.'

Telling her firmly, Chihiro finished up her drink before warning Kanon curtly that she shouldn't tell any of the other girls, or anyone publicly that Keima was helping her as it would have dire consequences. Keima would have been proud of her as Kanon looked at her in surprise at her words.

'Kanon-chan, we understand how hard it is to be an Idol; Katsuragi has drilled us and taught us that, even if it might not even be close to what Kanon goes through... we still understand to some extent.

And if Kanon-chan decide to tell everyone that Katsuragi is helping you, … I just hope that you be prepared for the consequences. Katsuragi is a very important person to us and is _our_ manager, like it or not, that is the truth that is accepted by everyone. Please, Kanon-chan... we... asked him to help us first.'

Chihiro didn't know what or how she mustered the courage to say all of this but it sounded right to her and she smiled as Kanon looked back at her in what seemed to be shock. It must have been a while since someone treated her like this; being an Idol does have it's perks but it has it's lows as well.

One of them was being bound to their own brand, just like how Katsuragi Keima was bound to them as their manager, they were bound to him as their band. There was no way that Keima would want to quit as if he did, he would have done so before.

'… Gomen, Kanon-chan... but we'll meet on the same stage at the Mai-High Festival, that is a promise. We'll... end it there. Like Katsuragi said, that might be our first and last stage... for many reasons.'

Closing her eyes as she willed up all the courage she had left, Chihiro extended her hand to Kanon.

'I don't want to have any last regrets, Kanon...'

It took a while but as Chihiro looked at Kanon and the teen idol looked back, Kanon did smile in the end and she reached out to shake Chihiro's hands softly. Even if it wasn't common in their culture, Chihiro wanted to know whether Kanon accepted their challenge, for it was really on now.

'I... too, don't want to have any regrets, Chihiro-san... so, let's do our best. In that day, we'll... let him decide who he'll follow.'

It was funny, really funny how everything has gotten so serious all of a sudden but to Chihiro, it was a step big forward for her and the girls in being on the same level as Kanon.

No longer were they just a group of unknown singers, they were now the favourites to perform in the center stage of the Mai-High Festival and they didn't want to just be dazzled by Kanon's presence or her name... they wanted to be known as a band, an equal in the entertainment industry.

Yes, they weren't rocking out with the big boys yet but that doesn't meant that they will just sit back and be bullied around, not that Kanon actually did that, mind, but Chihiro and the 2B Pencils wanted to be respected as a band for their music, not their looks, age or reputation.

They... like Keima said to them before, were above all of that.

..

Was it Keima giving her that final push by telling her that she was in charge now? That he was leaving it in her hands? Kosaka Chihiro didn't know but she did what she thought was right and took the challenge right into Kanon's home turf.

'See you at the audition then, Kanon-chan~'

Flashing a confident smile as she bowed to her, Chihiro took her leave even as Kanon looked down at her own drink and smiled to herself.

'… A... challenge... huh? Chihiro-san...'

No one saw the dangerous smile lighting up her features as it was gone in a flash when she was greeted with the person that she came here to meet in the first place, Katsuragi Keima.

'Ah, Keima-kun!'

* * *

..

Shaking her head as she walked passed Keima, Chihiro exchanged a knowing look with the **Capturing God** and was rewarded with a hurried apology even as he walked over to Kanon's seat and who else would she bump into, but Terada Miyako as she leaned against the door leading to the living quarters.

'Hey... thanks.'

Thanking Miyako as the two of them made their way to Elsi's room again, Chihiro nodded as she said that she has actually issued a challenge to Kanon.

'… For Katsuragi, of all people... can you believe that? At least, that's what I think I said... I can't believe I actually said that to Kanon-chan...'

Deflating as soon as the realization of what happened hit her, Chihiro turned paled till Miyako laughed and struck her on the back of her back in a sign of encouragement.

'That's our fearless leader for you~ I think none of us would mind that, honestly.'

Looking sheepishly at her friend, who had a big smile on her face, Chihiro turned redder before pumping herself full of enthusiasm again.

'Desho? I... I thought that too... but still, I can't believe what I just told her... oh gods... we'll have to work harder again today!'

'Mm! All night!'

'That's right, All night! AND no more tea breaks!'

'Ehh?!'

* * *

..

'Keima-kun, I can't believe you, I thought you said that you'll be waiting for me.'

Pouting in an adorable fashion, Kanon smiled and forgave him as he apologized to her for being late.

'Do you want something?'

Commenting that he was pretty good with brewing tea, Keima nodded as Kanon declined and the two of them spent a few quiet moments alone as Kanon played with his hands and Keima just sitting there awkwardly.

The interlude was broken by Keima pulling out a file but it was interrupted by Kanon in turn, who asked him whether he was still helping the 2B Pencils out.

'I am.'

His reply was firm and almost challenging Kanon to say something against it, but to his surprise and relief, Kanon didn't and simply nodded her head in understanding.

'I'm glad that you are being honest with me, Keima-kun... it's not like you're cheating me on anything with them, right?'

A dangerous glint appeared on Kanon's eyes as she said that but Keima kept his cool and just shrugged.

'It depends on the context, Kanon, the context.'

He mustered a smile even as Kanon nodded in agreement, thoughtfully too, as she wondered about that as well.

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R, tell me what you feel, please!**


	71. Casual Notes

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 71: Casual Notes**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Once again, thank you, _Kaiser Dude_!**

* * *

**..  
**

'Right, that's all for today... I'm sorry for taking so long, there was more information than normal.'

Looking a little tired as he finished his briefing for her, Katsuragi Keima looked at Nakagawa Kanon only to see her still smiling sweetly at him.

'Kanon?'

'Hai?'

'… Well, I was expecting some sort of clarification about the materials that I prepared for you... you are going on the show tomorrow after all... it's a little too rushed and I'll speak to Ms. Okada later on about your scheduling again...'

'Mm~ As long as Keima-kun is happy, I'll be happy with it.'

Kanon replied in a dreamy tone and that made Keima raise an eyebrow in confusion, she never ever used that tone before when she was speaking with him and it was indeed an oddity.

'Kanon? Are you sure that you understood... the materials for tomorrow?'

Kanon was due to go on one of those game shows where they ask the contestants questions based on different subject materials. Of course, the game hosts gave Kanon hints on what questions they might be asking and it was Keima's job to create a FAQ sheet, if you would, to help Kanon achieve the best results possible. As it was for a charitable course, Keima didn't quite mind and he had spent several hours working on the FAQ sheet based on the vague details given by the show producers.

That was why Kanon came by today on her rest day, a rare Sunday where she would be able to spend time for herself... and yet here she was, spending time with him here in Cafe Grampa.

Keima wouldn't be able to answer a positive yes if someone else asked him whether he liked it, but he knew that the only answer he could give when Kanon asked him would be yes.

'I do, Keima-kun... and I appreciate you taking your time to do that for me! I'm so happy, Keima-kun!'

If not for the table separating the two of them, Keima was sure that she would have thrown herself at him; think of the scandal that would happen if that was caught on camera.

He'll have to thank the girls for taking Kanon to the most private booth, and up till now, Kanon hadn't been spotted by any of her overzealous fans just yet.

..

It was not that Keima didn't spot the warning signs, he was the **Capturing God** after all and there was no way that he would have missed all of those obvious triggers and flags that warned him of the inevitable 'yandere mode' of Nakagawa Kanon. He had reasoned that it was best to let sleeping dogs lie and not mention the change in behaviour that Kanon would show at times when he was a little too close with some of the female assistants.

He was sure that they noticed it too and it didn't help matters when Keima spotted her chatting and speaking enthusiastically with the tazer salesman on his weekly visit to the studio. The fact that the studio assistants seemed resigned to seeing Kanon buy so many of them was enough to make him worried.

'We're in public, Kanon... do you remember what I told you about?'

Reaching out to pet her head to appease her as well as to stop her repeated attempts to try and hug him in plain sight, Keima would have thought that Kanon was one of those girls who expressed her affections through physical means if not for the fact that Kanon only did that to him and him only, which meant it was a full blown out warning flag for a yandere route.

There was no way around it, Nakagawa Kanon was getting too clingy and conscious of him. It was probably going to be dangerous just trying to turn her down if she wanted to meet by now.

That said, Keima rated her 'yandere level' at 4 out of 10 a day earlier, but right now his initial assessment of her yandere level was standing at a dangerous 8 out of 10; something must have happened for her to become even more captivated or concerned by his presence.

Basically, a yandere was someone who is obsessed about her/his objection of affection and he/she would shower affection and attention to that object with no regards of themselves or the other party's opinions and wishes. That was the 'dere' part of yandere, the part where they would be a very obsessive, clingy but perfect girlfriend for the person in question.

The 'yan' part of the yandere was that she was obsessed till the point of madness and she would definitely do anything and everything in her power to keep that person with her/him, regardless of what was required.

Yanderes in the most extreme end had been described to be capable of cold-blooded murders just to keep that person with them, Joint suicide 'pacts' were possible as well but Keima believed that those cases were only possible due to fiction.

One's own conscious and sense of being would be able to prevent, most if not all of the extreme situations and suggestions from a yandere. But when one reaches a point where their sense of well-being was detached or perhaps ignored by the person in their pursuit of the person, they could be capable of everything and anything.

Nakagawa Kanon was considered a yandere as she had the characteristics of a yandere, the standard clingy behavior, her all out attempts to get him to like her, the way that she didn't seem to mind sacrificing herself to get him, all gave her points towards a yandere.

But all in all, Keima had hoped and prayed that was just the case as Kanon wasn't obsessing about him... just yet.

Now he would have to swallow his words as Kanon's yandere nature was shown to truly exist.

..

'… I'm glad to see you here today as well, Kanon.'

The only way to 'tame' or to 'squash' the yandere nature back inside the person was to reassure them that nothing would happen between the two of them. No, that wasn't right, the right way to phrase it would be to reassure the yandere that nothing could come between the two of them, thus setting their minds at ease.

If there was no perceived threat on their relationship, there was no reason for them to worry about their relationship at all. That was the best and easiest way to solve a yandere crisis and Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God,** did that by holding Kanon's hand suddenly after dodging her attempts to do so for the last few minutes.

It was of course a double-edged sword as the paranoia level of the yandere might actually make the attempt to defuse it turn out indefinitely worse if they question his motive for being so friendly and accepting all of a sudden. It would only be a downhill affair from then on but thankfully, Kanon blushed red as Keima held her hands in his, slipping his fingers between hers and squeezing her hand gently.

'It has been a while since your last break, hasn't it? I've tried my best to lighten your work load but I'm not sure if I'm succeeding...'

Looking a little unsure, Keima smirked internally when Kanon hurriedly told him that he was helping her.

'I'm more rested now. Thank you Keima-kun! You really help a lot, and... and I'm very thankful... even if I do tell you that everyday... but you don't know how much all of that means to me... just having you looking over me is just...'

Kanon trailed off, probably too embarrassed to say the words out loud, and Keima breathed a sigh of relief at how the crisis was averted with just a few choice sentences. He could be called the Magician of Words indeed and Keima continued teasing her as Kanon pouted unhappily at his words.

'… Like a dream, right?'

Hitting the nail on the head after a while, Keima put on a wistful look as he leaned back against his chair even as Kanon looked back at him, a little unsure what to say at the look Keima had put on suddenly as he continued softly.

'It isn't just you, Kanon... it still feels like a dream now... helping you in the studio... learning about all the things that goes on behind every CD, every piece of music... game or even an animation... it just feels surreal... I wouldn't... be dreaming would I?'

Looking unsure of himself all of a sudden, Katsuragi Keima made Kanon squeeze his hand back in return as she smiled back at him, reassuring him that it wasn't a dream.

'No, Keima-kun... it isn't a dream, it can't be a dream as I'm having the same dream too... and please don't say that it is a dream that we are sharing for that would be too cruel to me... those days that we spent together in the studio is very busy, very hectic and of course, chaotic... I couldn't spend as much time as I wanted with you, Keima-kun but it... it is a very very important part of my life now... I couldn't remember what it was like before you joined us, Keima-kun... so... so please, don't say it's a dream... it's real... I'm real, I'll be here for you, Keima-kun...'

Keima would remark that he was supposed to be the one that to say those words in this apparent role reversal, but that would be breaking the mood and he simply nodded, smiling back at Kanon who returned that smile by reaching over the table to give him a small peck on the cheeks.

It could have been more but then again, it could have been worse and Keima left it at that, spending some time alone with Kanon speaking about nothing in particular.

* * *

..

..

'So... your relationship with Kanon is...?'

The question that he had been dreading and avoiding finally came to light over dinner, the 2B Pencils had went back home with the exception of Haqua, who was once again joining them for dinner at Mari's insistence.

Apparently Haqua's coaching of Elsi in the finer arts of human cooking had been spotted and encouraged by Mari, and with their help, Elsi was indeed getting more proficient with more 'normal' forms of cooking, something that Keima encouraged.

Elsi had been very pleased with the positive reviews, especially after he praised her suddenly when she was serving the miso soup, almost causing an accident when she almost dropped the entire tray of food. Ever since then, Mari had been coaching the two of them in cooking whenever they could manage and from the phone calls that she shared with Yukie, Haqua's contract partner, they seemed to have hit it off quite well.

Back to the topic however, Keima gave up all hope of not answering the question as Haqua and Elsi too were staring at him, demanding a straight up answer even as Mari looked at him eagerly.

From the looks of things, Mari had spotted the two of them together, not that hard really seeing that she had served their table. But he was surprised at how she had managed to keep her curiosity inside for so long; he'll have to give props to her on that one.

Well, he did owe her an answer, sorta anyway, and he shrugged while telling Mari that he was helping Kanon out as an assistant.

'Her manager, Ms. Okada said that I could help out, so... that's what I've been doing.'

To his surprise, Mari hadn't seemed happy or mad, in fact she seemed concerned as she placed her bowl of rice down on the table.

'You're helping Elsi-chan's band too right? The 2B Pencils?'

'I am. I'm still their manager, what about it?'

Noticing the look of relief in Elsi's face, Keima was thankful that Elsi had taken that news relatively well, all things considered.

'Well, that's good... but I did hope that you could arrange your priorities better, are you getting enough rest?'

Ah, she must mean by his games together with the two bands huh? Keima felt touched that his mother's first thought was her own son's well-being and he just nodded.

'I'm getting enough rest... and I won't let my results suffer due to this, do not worry.'

Nodding and satisfied at his reply, Mari went back to eating but not before she muttered that the two of them did look cute together.

'I didn't think it was possible, but Kanon-chan did look cuter than on TV~ Oh right, I didn't know she needed glasses though; they were cute glasses too.'

Of course they were perfect for her; he picked them out for her after all but Keima would never tell anyone that as he noticed the small 'K x K' mark that was engraved on the frame. He would not court trouble for himself.

'Wednesday is the audition desho? I wish I can be there! I'm sure that all of you would do well! Make us proud, dear!'

Turning the topic right back to the 2B Pencils, Mari hugged Elsi who nodded as well and even Haqua winked at Mari as she promised that they would get the right to perform on Mai-High.

'No doubt about it, for we are the best!'

Pumping her fist into the air, Haqua ignored Keima's attempt to deflate her by saying that she was too confident, Haqua shot back by telling him that it was all due to him that they were all so confident.

'You're the one that told us that we'll do well in the first place, have you forgotten that?'

'You're right there...'

There are only three days left!

* * *

..

The three days just disappeared in a flash and although there were some complications, mostly with the wardrobe as well as the equipment, the 2B Pencils were making their final and last preparations before setting off to the auditorium where the audition would take place.

The panel of judges would include the president and vice-president of the student council, the head of the organizing committee for the Mai-High Festival, the head and vice-head of the school as well as some of the music teachers in school.

They only accounted for 80% of the votes though as the remaining 20% would come from a selected pool of 200 hundred students randomly chosen throughout the entire Mai-High from juniors as well as the seniors.

Keima was understandably a little apprehensive when he knew about this as it was only announced on Monday but thankfully due to his earlier efforts, there wasn't really a need to do any adjustments to their publicity campaign as they only required an updating of their Twitter page or Youtube channel to spread the news.

Of course it was a double edged-sword as it would enable the other teams to latch on to their publicity too but it was an even trade-off as they quashed rumours of them knowing about this new implementation earlier on and be accused of the committee being biased to them.

'Are all of you ready?'

Keima asked them after they settled down, dressed in their school uniform and he was satisfied to see that them nodding back to him without hesitation.

As they started their last preparations, Keima had been busy preparing some tea for all of them and he asked them to have a cup of it before they sat off and of course, time for him to give a final pep talk to all of them.

Watching them drink the tea, Keima was glad to see the look of surprise on their faces as the tea was good, he had prepared it himself after all and it was to be expected.

'I'm pretty good with tea... All of you try to relax... your shoulders are all stiff, you wouldn't last the two songs if you keep being so tensed... If you are tense now, imagine what would happen to all of you later on?'

Looking at all of them and encouraging them to take deep breaths to calm themselves now, Keima took the liberty to sip his own tea even as the girls fidgeted on their seats, obviously waiting impatiently for him to lead them to the auditorium.

'Do not worry, we'll get there in time... I'll just be making all of you even more nervous... I understand that the pressure is on you not to screw up... but I'm confident that all of you would do well.'

'… It's something that we can't give up on, Katsuragi... we _have _to perform at the Mai-High festival... this isn't about getting better... it's a _need_ for us now.'

Keima nodded in understanding even as Chihiro exchanged looks with her fellow band members. They understood and know of the 'challenge' that was being set between them and Keima. They didn't want to hold Keima back so their only option would be to surpass even Nakagawa Kanon, even if it was at that small stage, even if it might be impossible... they would fight for the right to keep Katsuragi Keima with them. That was something that they swore to each other that Sunday afternoon.

..

'And I'm sure that all of you would achieve the dream, in one way or another...'

'You're... not taking this seriously enough, Katsuragi!'

'I am... you're the one that is getting worked up. I would not be so relaxed if I wasn't confident of your performances so far... As how you believe in me... I believe in you as well... so believe in me again, the one who believes in you... I am confident, No, I am _sure_ that all of you would succeed. I don't want this to be your final stage... but... in the very minimal and off-chance that it might be...'

Keima merely smirked at the unhappy looks the 2B Pencils had on their faces as he pointed out their failure was in the cards as well and he continued with a flair, throwing up his hands in the air as he remarked softly.

'Bring the house down with you, 2B Pencils... I know all of you can do that... if the school disagrees, prove them wrong... Although I admit we are pushing the line a little...'

Laughing at the nature and songs that he had chosen, Keima reminded them of the other songs that they had practiced a few times over the weekend.

'I won't pick something like that again... although the impact and shock factor is there, I wouldn't want to get us disqualified due to the language... well, I'm sure that the school will close one eye, we are not insulting them at all.'

Smiling as the tension in the air was broken by his ridiculous speech, the girls paid attention when he sat up straight again.

'The song isn't everything, girls... the presentation is everything... and I want all of you to go in there, confident in yourself while still treating it as though it is the last performance of your career.'

'Is that really necessary?'

Haqua asked suddenly and Keima paused for a second before nodding his head.

'… I'm sure that all of you know the answer better than me.'

Did he read their minds? Did they know of the bet between them and Kanon? He certainly looked like he did and all of the girls looked at each other nervously with the exception of Haqua and Elsi, who simply pursed their lips and looked down, seemingly resigned to this sudden development.

'… We should be off now... I'm sure that you want to hear your competitors as well.'

Getting off, Keima was aware how complicated the girls felt right now, but he wanted them to feel a little desperate as well. If they were too complacent it would not do for their performance as Keima wanted them to embrace the song and embrace themselves in their performance as he opened the door for them.

'Let's go... all of you, do me proud.'

He spoke that silently before looking away as though embarrassed and that had the result of getting Chihiro laughing and slapping his back in reply as she couldn't help herself seeing how vulnerable he was all of a sudden and thus breaking the tension yet again.

'Sure can do, Katsuragi! We'll kick their asses!'

'Hai hai~ So Katsuragi-kun was a little worried bout us as well~ Mm mm~ that's not a bad thing really!'

'… We'll do our best, Keima-kun, so watch over us~'

'Kami-Onii-sama! Elsi will do her best!'

'Don't screw this up as well, Katsuragi...'

Nodding at him as they left the clubroom together, the 2B pencils were ready for the audition!

* * *

**Author's Notes: Up next, is the long awaited audition! Look forward to it!**


	72. Audition Part I

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 72: Audition Part I**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the hard work as always! I hope you guys will like the audition highlights!**

* * *

..

It was about time for their turn and all of the girls were understandably nervous as they checked their equipment and instruments for the last time.

It didn't really help that the pressure was on them at being the last to perform. It was something that Keima had expected and he would have it no other way as the girls were ready.

They have to be. If not... everything will be over after this audition, a fact that he drilled into them again as he did the last checks on their equipment and looks.

All of them had to dress in their school uniforms so it was a level playing field of sorts but Keima still paid attention to every single detail, from the hair accessories they wore to the condition of their shoes, Keima wanted their impression to stick to everyone's mind.

It was time to go off with a bang and Keima made sure their positioning was perfect, with Ayumi and Chihiro sharing the center stage, Haqua placed behind them with Elsi and Miyako beside all of them.

After looking and adjusting their configuration, Keima had managed to position all of them so that everyone was not obstructed or blocking another person within the judges view as they were the priority today.

Not that Keima didn't take the others into consideration but Keima knew that the visual effect was not as effective the further they were away from their audience, and so their songs, together with their lyrics, were important as they had to strike a chord with the audience.

As he didn't want to release the songs that they were performing beforehand, Keima had to make sure that the songs were both meaningful and yet striking. He wanted everyone to remember their songs and from the girls' performance, he was certain that they would make an impression.

It's do-or-die time as Keima nodded to the helpers around the stage and he himself retreated to the back stage to await their performance.

..

It was a big gamble... so let's see whether it was worth all of it as the curtains pulled back and the girls started off strongly, starting off immediately when the spot light struck them as that was the cue for them to begin!

* * *

_**Don't Say Lazy!**_

Written by Shouko Oomori  
Composed by Hiroyuki Maezawa  
Arranged by Shigeo Komori  
Originally Performed by: The K-On Girls!

_**Note:**_

_**C – Chihiro H – Haqua A – Ayumi**_

_**E – Elsi M- Miyako All- All**_

..

_**Please don't say "You are lazy"**_

_**datte hontou wa Crazy**_

_**hakuchoutachi wa sou**_

_**mienai toko de BATAashi suru n desu**_

_**honnou ni juujun chuujitsu honrou mo juujuu shouchi**_

_**zentoyouyou dashi...**_

_**dakara tama ni kyuukei shichau n desu**_

..

_**All: Please don't say, "you are lazy"**_

_**C: Because truthfully, I'm crazy!**_

_**C: 'Cause even swans, you know**_

_**M: Flutter their legs where they can't be seen**_

_**H: I'm true to my instincts, though I accept I'll be constantly ridiculed**_

_**H: I got a bright future, after all...**_

_**M: Which is why I'll take a rest sometimes**_

..

Hitting the cymbals, Haqua started them off and the girls got into the grove almost immediately, causing the judges and their fans to jerk back in surprise even as the girls started as one, singing out the lyrics with a bright smile on their faces at the reaction that they were getting.

It was probably not what they wanted but hey, whatever works and although they seemed to be screaming together, they kept their voice controlled and they did not drown out the music that they were playing as Haqua continued to play despite her having the hardest part at the start.

Not only did she had to carry the beat with the girls, she has to sing as well but as Chihiro took over the next part of the song with a big silly grin on her face.

She personally found this song's lyrics pretty hilarious and it was only after they listened to the original song did they find that this was a song that was very suited to all of them, to all the students actually and behind the lyrics was lines that they wish they could tell their parents, their detractors as well as their fellow students when they berated them for what they have done.

Of course, the girls were neither lazy, nor were they perfect, but they wanted to tell that to the world as Chihiro sang her heart out, passing the baton to Miyako, who recited her line perfectly in a more controlled and emotionless tone when compared to Chihiro, almost as if she was bored when singing it and it worked for the crowd went a little louder and wilder at how Miyako rolled her eyes while saying her piece.

..

Passing the baton to Haqua, Ayumi and Chihiro leaned back a little to let them see Haqua winking at them as she continued playing and singing, making a good show of it as she constantly looked at the invisible score-sheet in front of her to see whether she did accurately.

Before she passed the baton on though, she glanced and directed the audience to Miyako, who winked too as she said her piece, letting the crowd whistle at her performance even as the spotlight turned on Elsi and Ayumi as it was the two girls time to shine as they played their instruments skilfully with each other, matching together with Haqua's pace and beat as they smiled at the crowd as they prepared for the next part of the song.

As the two girl's were the focus of this gap, Keima had made the girls practice their poses and how they stood, making them appear and feel more confident as they rocked it out, their hands moving up and down their instruments with ease.

..

_**kono me de shikkari misadamete**_

_**yukisaki chizujou MAAKU shite**_

_**chikamichi areba sore ga oudou**_

_**hashoreru tsubasa mo areba joutou**_

..

_**C: With your own eyes, ascertain it carefully**_

_**C: And mark it on your map**_

_**C: When there's a shortcut, you got a right to take it**_

_**C: Even better if you got some wings tucked away**_

..

The song wasn't difficult, but the girls would be strained as they were prone to getting too emotional while singing and playing the song. From what Keima could see, they couldn't help it as the lyrics, together with the beat and energy of the song, made Haqua and Chihiro get a little too worked up at times.

They weren't supposed to scream while singing the song but at times, they just do that, especially during the chorus and he sincerely hoped that Chihiro would ration her voice a little as she took on the next part where she had to sing it by herself with the other girls helping her on.

Ironically, the lyrics seemed like a message from Keima to all of them and the normal girl felt so as well as she grinned happily awhile singing, imagining it was Keima looking at them and plotting out what they should do next while singing out loud.

It made her feel better, as well as more in control of the situation and she even dared to pump a fist in the air as she declared that it was alright to take a shortcut as well, causing the crowd to cheer along with her as she winked and took a step back while waving her fingers at them teasingly.

..

_**YABA tsume wareta GURUU de hoshuu shita**_

_**sore dake de nanka tasseikan**_

_**daiji na no wa jibun kawaigaru koto**_

_**jibun wo aisanakya hito mo aisenai**_

..

_**H: Crap, you break a nail, then fix it with glue**_

_**H: And just that somehow gives you a sense of achievement**_

_**H: The most important thing is to care for yourself**_

_**H: You gotta love yourself before you can love someone else**_

..

Of course Keima didn't plan for them to do that but he felt that it was good enough, and as Chihiro's absence was more or less covered by Ayumi and Elsi, he didn't think too much of it.

The judges themselves weren't talking to each other like they were before while judging the other bands, and Keima felt a little nervous seeing that they were fixated on their performance, especially Okada Tomoe, who had turned up like he had asked her to.

By pulling a few strings, he had been able to get some of the 2B Pencils's supporters to help him out with the positioning of spotlights for maximum effect even as the girls rocked on towards the next section.

Unsurprisingly, it was Haqua's turn to let loose and as the spotlight fell on her, she seemed a little miffed as she sang, not too surprising as Haqua felt indignant and wronged that Keima wanted her to sing this portion as she felt that it was a dig at her, causing her to turn red a little even as the crowd went wild again as Haqua determined that it was okay to care for yourself and that they had to love themselves before they can love someone else.

It was true too, and it struck a chord with the audience like Keima had said it would, these were the feelings the 2B Pencils felt at times too, why they didn't want others to join them, why they wanted to play by themselves, they had to learn how to love themselves before they can share the love with others, right?!

..

_**Please don't say "You are lazy"**_

_**datte hontou wa Crazy**_

_**nou aru taka wa sou**_

_**mienai toko ni PIKKU kakusu n desu**_

_**souzou ni isshoukenmei genjitsu wa zettaizetsumei**_

_**hattentochuu dashi...**_

_**dakara fui ni PICCHI hazureru n desu**_

..

_**All: Please don't say, "you are lazy"**_

_**A: Because truthfully, I'm crazy!**_

_**A: 'Cause even the skilled hawk, you know**_

_**M: Hides his picks where they can't be seen**_

_**E: Dream with all you got, 'cause reality's a lady**_

_**E: I'm still growing, after all...**_

_**M: Which is why I might suddenly go off pitch**_

..

It was time for the chorus again and this time, as the girls sang, the crowd cheered and nodded their heads at the beat as they sang as one, passing the baton off to Ayumi for Haqua and Chihiro to get a break even as she sang the same lines again.

Ayumi wasn't sure that she and Elsi should share the stage, but when Keima pointed out that it would be doing Haqua and Chihiro a big favor, she had relented and thus, her time to shine on the stage was greeted with wild cat calls as the most popular member of the 2B Pencils sang loudly to the crowd, followed by the critic, Miyako's solo performance as the girls smiled in amusement at how she was enjoying herself.

The switching of singers were noted by the judges and they did not know how to respond to that. It was rare for a band to not have a dedicated singer, and although it made everything feel... awkward and off without the steady and consistent voice of a main singer, they couldn't help but know that it was deliberately done to ensure that their message went through.

It wasn't just about how well they were playing or singing, it was about how their message went through and it was getting through to all of them, especially Miyako's portion as it seemed to be a retort of sorts, trying to 'talk back' to them while still maintaining her politeness within the song.

The 2B Pencils weren't insulting or going against the authority or the guidelines, set by the school but they were straddling the line, in such a creative way that they couldn't help but ignore them.

When it was Elsi's turn, the audience paused for a second as Elsi adopted a much deeper tone than before, so much so that they were shocked for a second but they all roared in approval as Miyako's retort came by a second later, causing everyone to go crazy as Elsi and Miyako winked at each other at their well played segment.

Yes, Elsi was still growing and learning and she would continue to do so as well, for as long as she was in the 2B Pencils!

..

_**sono me ni utsuranai dake datte**_

_**yaruki wa MEETAA furikitte**_

_**itsudemo zenryoku de yumemite**_

_**sono bun zenryoku de nemutte**_

..

_**H: Even though it's not in front of you**_

_**H: Your will is a meter long**_

_**H: Always try to dream with all your might**_

_**H: And to the same extent, sleep with all your might**_

..

It was time for the second part of the song and as expected, it was Haqua's turn and once again, Keima seemed to have planned all of this as Haqua turned redder as she remembered what her expression was like when Keima showed her the lines.

It was plainly targeted at her and her large dreams and ambitions but at the same time, Haqua couldn't rebut him and she channelled her frustrations into her singing even as the crowd followed on her every word, trying to guess what they next line would be.

There were precious few who had heard of this song and amongst those, they didn't think that they would hear it from the 2B Pencils, and the surprise factor was welcome as when Haqua's sang the last line of this segment, it garnered quite a lot of laughs and even Haqua herself grinned as she winked at all of them leaning side ways as if dozing off as well.

Was it Keima's way to tell her and them to have a break as well and following Keima's instructions, Elsi and Ayumi took a breather by wiping their sweat for a brief moment, leaving Chihiro playing by herself for a moment before she too broke in song.

..

_**YARI choi yaseta choushi'zuite kutta**_

_**sore dake de nande? haibokukan**_

_**sukasazu ni mokuhyou kahoushuusei shite**_

_**juunan ni rinkiouhen shichihenge ga kachi**_

..

_**C: Awesome, You get a bit thinner, and then eat happily**_

_**C: And just that, why? Makes you feel defeated**_

_**C: You have to lower your expectations**_

_**C: Those that adapt quickly win**_

..

In fact, Chihiro was rolling her eyes a little as she first sang the songs, not believing that it was part of the song at all but when Keima insisted, she got serious and she even looked a little provocative as she glared around the crowd, causing quite a stir even as the girls in the crowd looked at each other as well.

It seems that Chihiro has a natural thing for the showmanship part and that even made Keima grin a little as she finished her first part, causing the girls to look at her a little angrily as Chihiro sniffed and looked away.

That moment and mood was changed immediately when Chihiro played strongly in the next section, grinning as she looked flicked her hair back before playing again while strumming her guitar fiercely and smiling at the same girls again to cheer them on as well.

It wasn't really cheering, but more of a lesson to all of them. A harsh lesson too as the 2B Pencils; as with all the students in the hall today, had to adapt to the changes that had happened to them.

There might be good things, but along the way, there were bad things.

They had to deal with the pressure, the expectations of the people, their own and each other feelings as well as what others' thought of him.

If they hadn't adapted to all of that, they wouldn't be here, and as Chihiro looked back at her band, all of them nodded and started playing the chorus once again.

..

_**Please don't say "You are lazy"**_

_**datte hontou wa Crazy**_

_**kujakutachi wa sou**_

_**koko zo to iu toki bi wo miseru n desu**_

_**gozouroppu manshin maishin ganbou wa soushin reijin**_

_**yuuwaku tahatsu dashi...**_

_**dakara yake ni ishi kudakechau n desu**_

..

_**All: Please don't say, "you are lazy"**_

_**E: Because truthfully, I'm crazy!**_

_**E: 'Cause even peacocks, you know**_

_**M: Wait till the time is right to show their beauty**_

_**A: Our bodies and beings struggle on, desiring to be slim and beautiful women**_

_**A: There's lots of temptations, after all...**_

_**M: Which is why we get so terribly distracted sometimes**_

..

As the girls shouted out again, there were some in the crowd who followed them and as they did, they cheered and shook their hands in rhythm with the chorus as it was Elsi's turn for once, taking her turn to declare that she, too, could be a little crazy, causing the crowd to cheer even louder again as she waved her finger in the air as if lecturing them.

It was thankful that there were multiple instruments in the whole band, letting Keima be a little more daring and relaxed with his choreography as the girls were able to cover each other with the exception of Haqua and Miyako.

That said, Elsi's lines seemed to be tailored made for her too and she seemed to have won over a large majority of male fans again, to Keima's disgust as Miyako deadpanned it to them again.

As Ayumi took over, she seemed a little distracted but it made her own lines seem even more pronounced when Miyako retorted back, causing the crowd to go wild even as the 2B Pencils geared up to showcase their own skills with their instruments in a largely unvoiced portion of the song.

They weren't about to be branded as a group that was only full of empty boasts, with members who look pretty and can't play and they did their best performance yet, with Miyako being the focus of this part as her skills and years of experience rallied the entire group to use her as their reference till it came to her solo performance with her keyboard.

..

_**YABA masaka REDDO POINTO!? iya GIRI KURIA!**_

_**sore dake de nante zennoukan **_

_**daiji na no wa jibun mitometeku koto**_

_**jibun wo yurusanakya hito mo yurusenai**_

..

_**M: Crap, is that a red mark? Ah, no, I'm just barely in the clear!**_

_**M: And just that makes you feel so almighty**_

_**M: The most important thing is to recognize yourself**_

_**M: You gotta accept yourself before others accept you too**_

..

If there was one person that had been overlooked this entire song, it was certainly not Miyako and the crowd gave her the biggest welcome yet as they seemed to be happy to bring the house down with just an audition, something that Keima took as a success as the judges too seemed impressed by their playing.

It was too easy to really call it a guarantee yet but it looked hopeful for all of them as Miyako, too, had a natural flair with showmanship as she gave a look of surprise as she sang her lyrics, causing the crowd to laugh a little as she continued with the song. Even if that was only for a moment, the song's beat wasn't going to accommodate more of that, Keima knew that she had score several important points.

To a purist, the song was provocative and it had it's hits or misses with the crowd and of course the, judges; but Miyako rammed home the message of the song to the listeners again as she winked at them as the music died them in preparation of the chorus.

..

_**Please don't say "You are lazy"**_

_**datte hontou wa Crazy**_

_**hakuchoutachi wa sou**_

_**mienai toko de BATAashi suru n desu**_

_**honnou ni juujun chuujitsu honrou mo juujuu shouchi**_

_**zentoyouyou dashi...**_

_**dakara tama ni kyuukei shichau n desu**_

..

_**All: Please don't say, "you are lazy"**_

_**H+M: Because truthfully, I'm crazy!**_

_**All: 'Cause even swans, you know**_

_**All: Flutter their legs where they can't be seen**_

_**All: I'm true to my instincts, though I accept I'll be constantly ridiculed**_

_**All: I got a bright future, after all...**_

_**M: Which is why I'll take a rest sometimes **_

..

This time, the crowd was ready and they chanted together with the 2B Pencils as the reached the chorus and finally, or one could say, at long last? Haqua and Miyako declared their insanity by themselves even as the other girls nodded in agreement.

Their message was clear, all of them had their reasons, their sacrifice, their hard work as well as their own way in reaching here, this stage and this far.

So... it was okay if they seem to be wrong, even if they seemed to be going against the school's regulations just a little by singing this song, as they would not in the end be going against it.

So just give them a chance!

As the 2B Pencils finished their performance, all of them spent a few seconds catching a breath before Chihiro walked up to the mic stand that had been unused until now before showing off a V-sign for victory as she declared to the audience and the waiting crowd.

'WATASHI WA - 2B PENCILS DESHITA!'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Oh right, there's a new poll up there for you Moonflower Wishes' readers, so go and do it!**


	73. Audition Part II

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 73: Audition Part II**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for being patient with me.**

* * *

**..  
**

It was an understatement to say that the girls were welcomed as the cheers and shouts that they were getting were probably louder than the rest of the bands, except for the Singing Wizards, their main rival did a flawless performance as well and the girls were initially worried that that meant that they would have to play second fiddle to them.

After all, even if the students in the room were chosen at random with an even distribution of male and females, the Singing Wizards had been performing in every Mai-High Festival for the past 2 years and although the roster has changed, the Singing Wizards manager, Adachi, did a good job in rotating the band's members and ensuring new blood to showcase their stuff in front of their dedicated fans.

The Singing Wizards were an established brand while the 2B Pencils were the new kid in the block that was in the news and the radar of many Mai-High students due to their unconventional but effective marketing ploy.

That meant that although they were the talk of town, it was inevitable that they would be judged more harshly due to that.

It was something that the girls were aware of and were just psyched that they were able to win the crowd over with their first song.

'Hello!, Mic-Test... Mic-test... Ah, right, got it! Everyone, we are the 2B Pencils! And the song earlier is 'Don't Say Lazy!' We hope all of you enjoyed it!'

Bowing to them again while the clock was ticking down, Chihiro bowed to the judges once more before going back to position and speaking again.

'Today, we are privileged to be able to perform for all of you... so please, listen to what we have to say today kay? I, Kosaka Chihiro and all of the other members~ Ayumi-chan!'

Grinning as Ayumi bowed, followed by the rest of the members, Chihiro told Haqua to hit it and start the song even as she introduced the next song to the now mostly silent crowd.

'This is our second song: _Girl's in Wonderland_!'

* * *

..

**Girls In Wonderland**

Lyrics by Shoko Omori  
Composition by Hiroyuki Maezawa  
Arrangement by Shigeo Komori  
Originally Performed by: The K-On Girls!

_**Note:**_

_**C – Chihiro H – Haqua A – Ayumi**_

_**E – Elsi M- Miyako All- All**_

..

_**C: donna FIKUSHON sae mo shinogu Wonderland**_

_**C: gonin ga yoreba kisoutengai**_

_**C: ari no mama wo kakitometa nikkichou**_

_**C: ochitsuite nanka yometa mon ja nai**_

..

_**C: All fiction falls short to our Wonderland**_

_**C: When the five of us approach, it's bizarre**_

_**C: I've written the truth in my diary**_

_**C: Now I've read it and I can't calm down**_

..

The song was started off by the girls behind, Elsi, Miyako and Haqua and the three of them smiled as they got into rhythm together at the start, surely a first as Keima nodded firmly at the rapport all of them had built up together. This was followed by Chihiro starting the song off with a lusty and deep voice, something that stunned the crowd for a moment before they all whistled at the drastic change in voice.

It wasn't perfect, nor was it pretty but it was the 'shock' factor that Keima wanted and he achieved that as Chihiro grinned and delivered her lines without a fuss.

This song was much slower than '_Don't Say Lazy'_ and it was much easier to play too as the pace was slightly slower. Even so, it was full of significance as with the other songs.

The five of them were in fact in their own wonderland the moment that Keima came into their lives. Not only did he help them improve, he really made them remember and take in the 3 'S' concept, they were all sisters now even with their own flair and simplicity all wrapped into one.

The past few weeks had really been a roller-coaster ride and to them, as to the rest of the people who were following them, it was nothing more than a miracle.

If a miracle doesn't exist in a perfect world, their wonderland, what does?

..

_**H: konna hazu ja nakatta!?**_

_**H: HAI sugiru HAI SUKUURU DEIZU**_

_**H: So very Fantastic World**_

_**ureshii gosan tanoshii ni kousan**_

..

_**H: It wasn't supposed to be this way!?**_

_**H: These high school days are way too high**_

_**H: It's a very Fantastic World**_

_**H: But I'd gladly give in to a happy miscalculation**_

..

As per usual it was Haqua who kicked the next part off, taking the baton off Chihiro even as she delved into the song with relish. She was like a role-player in her role of the drummer in an music video as she just rolled her eyes again while delivering her lines.

Was it on purpose that Keima let her be the one singing the few lines with the most 'English' lines in them? The girl's language scores weren't that good, with the exception of Miyako of course and so Haqua delivered those lines professional, pronouncing and rolling those words off her tong like a pro.

But in another sense, it depicted Haqua's entry into the 2B Pencils as well. Even if she was the last to join the band, she had quickly became part of them, part of their sisterhood, and it was totally different from what she expected.

Transferring into school, joining Keima in his adventures, not to mention sharing into his burdens... BUT at the same time, being enjoy a real school life with friends, sharing their stories, getting into silly gimmicks while fooling around and having fun after school.

It was totally worth it even if it was nothing like what Haqua imagined life on the human world would be like. She didn't win any awards nor was she a really successful district chief... but even so, it was fun! All of it!

..

_**All: What will happen...!? ashita no PEEJI ni wa**_

_**All: nani ga kakarete iru n darou**_

_**A: kyou no HAATO kyou no BIITO ga mou MAX**_

_**A: mainichi sou omotte kita yo**_

_**E: kiseki no koushin sukoshi kowai demo tomarenai **_

_**E: shinjiru yo**_

_**Our Lucky Goes On!**_

..

_**All: What will happen on the pages of tomorrow...!?**_

_**All: I wonder what's written there**_

_**A: Today's heart and beat are already at their max**_

_**A: I've begun to think this way every day**_

_**E: The innovations of miracles are a bit scary, but I can't stop**_

_**E: Believe me**_

_**M: Our luck goes on!**_

..

As the chorus started on, Keima looked at the crowd who were mostly in their feet while cheering them on and he was satisfied at that. If '_Don't Say Lazy' _was a song for the crowd and their supporters, '_Girls in Wonderland'_ was a song for themselves, a song to remind themselves of what this all entails for them.

It wasn't a confession, not just yet, but he wanted them and the crowd to know that they were enjoying themselves. This was a dream and yet not a dream as they were living their dream right now, in this very moment.

As one, the girls started on the chorus while looking at each other in the corner of their eyes and smiling, it was not a rehearsed act but something that they did on an impulse and together with their song, their emotions were close to overflowing as they sang with all their hearts.

Just like how Keima had told them, this might be their last performance here and he wanted everyone, the 2B Pencils themselves included that they should have no regrets as to what happened in the future.

Ayumi took the baton from the two lead singers with nary a pause and although she has lost most of her flashy 'showmanship' from the past, due to the incident of course, Ayumi was sincere in her singing, her eyes focused and her vocal control perfect as she tilted her head at the end as if adding a small question mart at the end.

Finally, it was Elsi's turn to shine and although shaky at the start, what with her apologetic smile as she took over from Ayumi, she burst out at the end as she pumped a hand in the air at the last line, causing the crowd to echo her movement even as Miyako ended the chorus with the usual flair that she does.

..

_**H: donna AATO ni mo kakenai Funny Faces**_

_**H: gonin no gokan kanjou sunao hyakumensou**_

_**H: kaiwa mitai ni toriai tamatta shashin**_

_**H: ni shite mo ooi na minna PIISU SAIN**_

..

_**H: No kind of art can depict our Funny Faces,**_

_**H: The faces determined by our five senses and honest emotions**_

_**M+H: Just like conversations, our photographs have piled up**_

_**M+H: Everyone's always giving the peace sign**_

..

Handing the baton back to Haqua even as she struggled somewhat with the beat, Haqua made a face at how Keima was shaking his head almost at the same time as she sang it, causing the crowd to roar back in approval at her lines as well as her performance.

Realizing what she has done, Haqua turned a little red and almost seemed like she wasn't able to go on when Miyako helped her out, singing to cover her embarrassment even as Haqua nodded back apologetically.

It was a big save by Miyako and the two of them finished the part of the song safely, Haqua's funny face making the crowd forget about her mistake and continue cheering her on.

As mentioned earlier, Keima made it so that this song was for the 2B Pencils more than for the crowd and although what they were singing weren't exactly true, they hardly take any photographs but it was true that they have mostly been talking to one another for the past few weeks.

Keima dared to wager that as the girls were always together after Keima started his advertising campaigns. Not only did Ayumi and Miyako take some time off her track-and-field team and as Chihiro, Elsi and Haqua belonged to the go-home-club, the girls realized quite abruptly that their lives did revolve around each other.

Sisters, they were sisters and not just BFF(Best Friends Forever) and they enjoyed each others' company.

It was shown indirectly through this song and their small gestures that they did to help each other, they were really, really having fun playing here. That's the most important thing after all, right?!

..

_**C: sono toori datta!**_

_**C: naite mo heiki datta**_

_**C: So very Peaceful World**_

_**C: attakai ongaku to nakama datta**_

..

_**C: That's the way it was!**_

_**C: We were fine even if we cried**_

_**C: It's a very Peaceful World**_

_**C: With our warm music and friends**_

..

Chihiro actually caught a break here as she stopped playing as per Keima's request and placed her hand on her chest, as if imploring the crowd before she burst out in song, clenching her fist and raising it slightly as she sang the second line.

It was short and probably insignificant if it didn't help focus the attention on Chihiro and the lyrics that she was currently singing. As she reached the last line, she turned around and gestured at her friends, as if introducing them again in the gap that followed.

Even if Chihiro had problems with the pronunciation and was a little over-dramatic with her actions, Keima hoped that he had helped them make their point before she started playing again, struggling with the beat for a few seconds before picking up with the rest of the girls, smiling and grinning in the sheer adrenaline rush that they were feeling.

It was an exciting thing, to play in front of the crowd and they were all getting into it as their senses seemed to be focused, and sharpened and each line and the score seem to magically float in front of them.

No, it wasn't Haqua or Elsi's doing... but the girls were in the groove now and It seemed like nothing could stop them as they hit the chorus once again.

..

_**All: What will happen...!? mirai no FAINDAA wa**_

_**All: dou iu kao, keshiki wo utsusu n darou**_

_**E: moshimo HAADO na genjitsu ni butsukattara**_

_**E: okini no FUREEZU kuchizusamu yo**_

_**A: yuuki ya ai bakka utatteru watashitachi nanda shi **_

_**A: daijoubu**_

_**M: Our Dreams Come True!**_

..

_**All: What will happen with the finder of the future...!?**_

_**All: I wonder what kind of faces and scenery will be reflected on us**_

_**E: Even if reality strikes hard against us**_

_**E: We'll just hum our favorite phrases**_

_**A: Singing only of courage and love,**_

_**A: We'll be fine**_

_**M: Our Dreams Will Come True!**_

..

It was a question that the girls posed to the crowd, a question that seemed to hint at the result that was going to be revealed to them and it seemed to make the crowd pause for a moment to look at the judges collectively even as the girls continued on in high spirits.

They do not know what the future will be like and it wasn't just them, it was everyone present too but they, with their song, with their words spoken through that medium, wanted the world to know that they wouldn't buckle under the stress and would have each other for comfort.

Elsi was the one who took over from the girls as they took a breather after singing their lungs out and she smiled beautifully as she rocked a little with the beat while singing, a determined look on her face the echoed and amplified all of their feelings as even the relaxed and laid back Elsi was ready to take on the challenges and adversity with no worries at all.

It was of course, kinda ironic to have Ayumi sing that line but she was indeed a courageous person, not to mention the first of the 2B Pencils that had confessed to Keima and with a blush on her face, she finished her line while shooting a side-long glance to Keima, something that everyone in the band noticed till they were interrupted by Miyako's end of the chorus.

..

It was Haqua, Miyako and Elsi taking the center stage this time as Chihiro and Ayumi moved a little to the side to let the audience have a look at them playing, a sequence of the song dedicated and left to them only to show that they weren't _just_ a band with a pretty face.

They were quite skilled and practiced well too and nowhere was this shown more than with Miyako and Haqua as the two of them were beautiful with their playing.  
Elsi, perhaps a little nervous, was periodically looking down but it was huge improvement from how she had been playing before and after the portion, it was Miyako's turn again!

..

_**M: Mae shika mienai furimuku yoyuu nai**_

_**M: Ima de sei ippai tada "suki" de ippai**_

..

_**M: I can only see what's in front of me, there's no turning back**_

_**M: Today I'll go on with all my might, simply surrounded by what I "love"**_

..

It was tradition or was it their style but it was Miyako taking the center stage once again as the girls played for her and just as rehearsed, Keima made sure to shine the spotlight at her as Miyako addressed the crowd with a small smile even while playing.

She was perhaps the most fearless person of all in the 2B Pencils for she challenged the **Capturing God** and never even flinched.

She didn't look back nor did she allowed what had happened in the past to affect her and unknown to Keima, the last line was significant to her as well as she smiled a little bitterly at being the one that was ignored but yet, not taken for granted.

How could she get mad at that?

As the part ended, the girls that moved away all gathered around again as the last part was finally at hand!

..

_**All: What will happen to us tomorrow!? **_

_**All: No one knows**_

_**All: But we always sing "Oh yeah" "Take it easy"**_

..

_**All: What will happen...!? ashita no PEEJI ni wa**_

_**All: nani ga kakarete iru n darou**_

_**All: kyou no HAATO kyou no BIITO ga mou MAX**_

_**All: mainichi sou omotte yuku yo**_

_**All: kiseki no koushin sukoshi kowai demo tomarenai **_

_**All: shinjiru yo**_

_**All: Our Lucky Goes On!**_

..

_**All: What will happen on the pages of tomorrow...!?**_

_**All: I wonder what's written there**_

_**All: Today's heart and beat are already at their max**_

_**All: I've begun to think this way every day**_

_**All: The innovations of miracles are a bit scary, but I can't stop**_

_**All: Believe me**_

_**All: Our luck goes on! **_

..

The end of their performance was at nigh and all of the girls wanted to make sure that everyone remembered them and they sang with all of their hearts.

The 2B Pencils was a local band and it was a band that was still rooted to the idealism of performing at the Mai-High Festival and actually that was all that they were aiming for.

Were they aiming for too shallow a target? The audience wouldn't know that but it was that shallow target that all of them were able to keep their true values, cores and personality in face of their new-found fame. They found ways to adapt and yet still live their lives together with their pseudo persona. All of them, were still high school girls and they lived life one day at a time.

And yet, all of them wanted these days, these few weeks of living in a small miracle, where every single day couldn't be recorded or measured down in words, the days seemed to drag on forever and yet seem to go by in a flash as well.

They were performing... and their performance was coming to an end just like that.

How could it be possible? But it seemed that it was going to end like that as they reached the end of their song.

All of the nervousness and anxiety was replaced with energy, optimism and enthusiasm for the future and this was reflected by their performance, their emotions and feelings pouring out from the song as they ended the last line with a big smile.

'Thank you, everyone!'

Taking a final bow before their emotions got the better of them, the 2B Pencils hurried away from the stage amidst the standing ovation they were given.

The girls have done their best and they would have no regrets at all. Well, the only regret that they would have would be that they were so rushed for time, the time allocated for them was about all gone and they didn't have the heart or the right to rob the other participants of the audition to take center stage as well.

So, the 2B Pencils left the stage, their second and perhaps most important stage as quickly as they had seized it.

* * *

**Author's Notes: There's always this inner voice asking me whether anything will happen if I take an extended leave of absence, I guess nothing changes, huh? So I might be going on hiatus for a while. Need to sort out things regarding the fics, most of them actually. So.. We'll see how frequently I can update till then.  
**


	74. Bonus End

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 74: Bonus End**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I'm back in the groove. Thanks you, _Kaiser Dude_ for being patient with me.**

**That said, I've sinked into a new low in the reviews department. Seriously, nothing for the two chapters before this? It really depresses me to not get anything in return. Do your part in motivation, do me a favor as well, R&R, for that has been the sole reason that has gotten the recent chapters out.  
**

* * *

..

Tension was in the air and it was something that everyone in the waiting room as affected by, at least all of them but the 2B Pencils. The girls were still in high spirits after their spirited performance just moments earlier. Being slotted in one of the last performances was part of the reason as well and their adrenaline was pumping still even after meeting back with Keima.

It was an unbelievable performance as the entire auditorium were on their feet, listening, waving and cheering for them.

It was similar to their first ever performance, and in a way it was like their first-ever official performance as well.

Before, they were just the guest performers of the Singing Wizards. Although it was still their first performance, they had the nagging feeling that they were just using the energy that the Wizards had inspired in the crowd to help their performance and it seemed wrong that way too.

In this case, the 2B Pencils might still have been borrowing the 'energy' from the rest of the bands, but the difference was that the crowd was not as lively as they were like in the bar.

Some of the audience were bored after listening to piece after piece from bands they didn't care about and although there were a small portion of the audience who were their fans, they managed to get the entire auditorium on their side in the end; that was surely an accomplishment to be proud of!

Even if it was a random sampling of students in the school, the mere fact that they were all cheering and were won over by their performance was heartening, and perhaps an indicator and hint to how the girls should continue performing at.

The girls were also glad to see confirmation of the fact that they weren't just a fluke, as in, they were not just a flash in the pan group that catered to a specific stereotype. All of them did cheer for them after all and it meant a lot for them.

The only downer was that the audience had cheered hard for the other bands as well, especially the Singing Wizards as the majority of the girls were apparently their fans. The other performances were just as good as well and thankfully the girls were in the waiting room when the others performed and they weren't allowed to peep either; the organizers were very strict on that and it helped as it ensured that the girls were not under any additional pressure as they performed.

..

Although Keima had reassured them that they received the loudest cheers, that didn't mean that the girls themselves were going to be appeased by that.

Keima had greeted them after they finished their performance with a satisfied smile and the girls knew that they had at least reached his expectations as he didn't offer a single complaint to them, which was a rarity by itself.

Chilling out together in the waiting room was the Singing Wizards and their manger, Kabuto Adachi and they came over to congratulate them for their performance. Apparently it was okay for the teams who finished their performance to have a look at the others' performance and so it seems that the Singing Wizards had been listening to them after all.

The customary greetings were given but they didn't really mingle around together and they only spoke quietly about random things, most of them dwelling on their instruments, their maintenance and little tips that they shared around each other.

That was to be expected, all of them were rivals/competitors fighting for the few slots to perform in the Mai-High Festival.

Out of the 30 teams that were auditioning on that day, only 15 would get the opportunity to perform and they would be given allocated timeslots for their performance. It was a totally new affair for the organisers for the festival as they received an unprecedented number of applications to perform and all at a similar time slot.

One of the few reasons for the popularity of that time slots was that the main concert in the auditorium would be officially started only around the late afternoon and the other timeslots available for performances were held at the field, which was a less popular hangout due to the heat as the lack of comfortable seating.

As the respective groups has to bid for the locations as well as the timeslot, it should have been foreseen that the 'main' concert of Mai-High Festival would be the 'stage' that everyone would be aiming for. Well, that was to everyone but the organizers, who had believed that they would be able to fill up all the necessary time slots for the different venues. As Keima put it, It was a severe oversight on their part and all of the groups had to be subjected to the audition process in the end.

The remaining 15 groups would have to be satisfied with performing out at the field, but it still beats not taking part at all even if the audience pool would be much smaller as compared to the main concert.

Another reason for why that stage was so popular was that Nakagawa Kanon would be performing there as well and with the addition of Tomoe Okada, Kanon's manager into the judges panel at the last moment, Keima and the girls knew that if the competition was hard before, it was only going to get more intense as all of them wanted to impress her as well.

Of course, Keima knew her reason for being here and he was glad that his gamble had paid off and had successfully lured her to the audition, if anything to satisfy her own curiosity as well. Why did he choose to do that? There were certainly more reasons for doing so than Keima was going to reveal to the girls or to the person in question, that much was certain.

..

'Impressive, I really liked how you coordinated the girls, not to mention the choice of song that you performed today. I guess I was being too optimistic to think that you would be able to compose and write a song for them.'

Looking up from his thoughts, Keima nodded to Kabuto Adachi as he made his way to sit with him. The girls had retreated to the other end of the waiting room together while the boys themselves were only looking a little curiously at the two of them.

Kabuto Adachi, the general manager of the Singing Wizards and one of the original and founding members of the above-mentioned group. Under his advice and guidance, the Singing Wizards have been transformed into more than just a simple boy band, they were actually more like a travelling band with more than 5 boys in the roster. In fact, they had around 12 full-time and 4 part-time members who chipped in when they did gigs. They were like the 2B Pencils in the fact that they weren't the average and common band out there; they were unconventional and perhaps unique in their handling of the band members.

Perhaps Keima too had taken a few leaves out of their books in their presentation and Kabuto Adachi nodded while commenting again.

'That's the only flaw that I could make out, they were confident, which is important... you got all your bases covered, Katsuragi.'

Looking at him in satisfaction, Keima offered a soft thanks before telling him what he felt about the Singing Wizard's performance as well.

'In terms of originality, you score top marks due to the song being written and composed by the band itself... but I feel that as it was not a song that they composed themselves, the individuals playing that is, it is at a level of skill that is perhaps above them.'

It was something that Adachi didn't quite expect and he was stunned for a few seconds before grinning and nodding his head.

'Well you sure caught me there, you did pay attention to us... I'm flattered, Katsuragi, I'm really am... What else eh?'

Shaking his head, Keima smiled slightly as he said that he wouldn't be so silly as to offer too many pointers to their rivals, would he?

'After all, I'm sure that you want this group of new band members to succeed as well... Although I'm afraid that I made quite a damper to your plans.'

Keima didn't seem apologetic nor did he seem to be challenging Adachi at all. If anything, he only seemed tired as he leaned back on his seat, continuing his comment while Adachi looked at him in surprise at his comment.

'This is the third generation of 'Singing Wizards' am I right? Although you have been trying to promote them quite aggressively, I apologize for stealing your thunder.'

Although the girls were familiar with the Singing Wizards, there have been a lot of rotations in the bands rosters, something that Keima had spotted and noticed a trend to. The senior band players, those in high-school, and in particular the main drummer who was going to graduate as he was in his third year, have been introducing the newer and younger members of the bands in their gigs more frequently now.

It was a transition of power, of time and of age and Keima reckoned that the Mai-High Festival would be the time for the older generation of Singing Wizards to pass the baton on to the younger generation. They would keep the same style and flair as the original Singing Wizards, at least that's what Keima imagined they would.

'You're... incredible... and you're so young too...'

Shaking his head, Kabuto Adachi seemed more amused than anything else as he nodded in appreciation of Keima's words. This Katsuragi Keima scared him a little too, it was like his every move was just another predicted play in the chessboard of life.

He really was an enigma, someone who could probably go very far if he just put his will and energy into doing so.

..

'Guess I couldn't hide it from you huh? Yeah, you're right, the Mai-High Festival was supposed to be their biggest chance and opportunity to hand over to the younger guys... the boys, they're not getting younger... and although they'll continue to play, they should let someone else take over the roost in Mai-High. The lot of us came from this school... we were the first boy-band here and we want... the Singing Wizards to continue playing here for as long as we can. We might not be a club, but we're something different. Just like your girls eh? They aren't the Light-Music-Club, that's for sure... they are something different, aren't they?'

It was exactly that and Keima nodded in appreciation to his words as well. They were really very similar and Adachi was surprised when Keima suddenly asked of a favour from him.

'A favor? Why Katsuragi... this is such a sudden request... what's up?'

As Keima led him away from where they were seating, Adachi found himself more and more intrigued by this person who had so much potential but was not acting on it. If he could be just a little bit more serious...

'There is something that I would need your help... and your advice in.'

'Oh? Something that Katsuragi can't do by yourself? Hmm... that's intriguing...'

* * *

..

As the girls waited for the results, Ayumi noticed Keima and Adachi talking to each other, the other manager seemingly confused at their exchange before nodding and laughing loudly at what Keima had just said to him.

'Hey... Chihiro...'

Tugging at her friend, who was still drinking and massaging her throat, Ayumi made Chihiro look at the two of them and eventually all of them turned to look at the same direction, wondering what was going on between the two of them.

The girls had mixed feelings about the Singing Wizards despite all of them knowing and acknowledging their skill and talent, not to mention their dedication to their performance.

It was also true too that the person who Ayumi had serious reservations with was not present today and there seems to be a change in the roster as well, which made the girls a little confused as well as a little unsure how to react and behave towards them.

Some of them were obviously their juniors but something in them told them that they were probably their seniors in the field that they were competing in and thus they simply treated them as equals, a gesture that they too appreciated.

'…'

Just as abruptly did Ayumi spot the two of them chatting together alone, the two of them separated and she breathed easier after seeing Keima walk in their general direction.

The other bands and groups had offered their congratulations on their performance as well and Ayumi wasn't one to admit how proud she was of Chihiro for being so modest for a change as she accepted their thanks on their behalf as the leader of the 2B Pencils. Although she loved being in the centre of the spotlight at times, there were times where she felt embarrassed at the attention that she was receiving when it was in excess of what they rightly deserved.

As Keima was fond of deflating their egos at times to ensure that they weren't too full of it, it felt odd for Chihiro of all people to be the one that was being modest but she too knew that she was giving Chihiro too little credit as their leader had started to be very reliable and responsible recently. It was like she had suddenly awakened up to her role again after Keima's absence...

Keima's absence had affected all of them but Ayumi knew that it had affected Elsi the most out of all of them. She had been very odd and quite melancholic ever since the workload had increased for all of them and Ayumi thinks she knows why.

Elsi had always been the one who had been the most attached to her big brother and at many points in their interaction, Ayumi had wondered if she really had a serious crush on Keima.

If there was any doubt before, it was totally wiped away upon seeing how she was pining for her Kami-Onii-sama.

To be fair, Ayumi knew that she and the rest of the girls were at fault as before he joined the band, Elsi had a monopoly of Keima's time. Not that Ayumi would ever admit that she was just a wee bit jealous of that monopoly that Elsi had gotten for quite a while.

She had always been the person who had stubbornly stuck by him no matter what or how Keima treated her and Ayumi had grown to respect as well as to be a little awed at how much Elsi can tolerate or hold within her as she knew that Keima was one of the hardest individuals to please, and one can describe her treatment of Elsi as abuse in some aspect as Ayumi knew that he was merciless with his words.

At least, that's what she remembered and thought their relationship was like until she looked at it from another point of view. Keima might be harsh but he was never unnecessarily cruel, and as she discovered, he always has a reason for doing something. As to why he treated Elsi that way was beyond what she could think of, but it was certainly something as Keima's attitude to Elsi was still different from how he treated the rest of them. It was subtle, but it was certainly there; he would always spend just a bit more with Elsi, instructing her while she listened, perhaps a wee bit more contact between the two of them and he seemed more focused, more serious than he would be with the other girls.

..

Elsi too, behaved differently with him around and either she was looking at him with that longing look when they were separated, a wistful look when she was with him and was listening to him and a look of sheer glee and happiness when she was able to spend time with him.

It was probably nothing... but Ayumi knew that it was the signs of a girl in love, and although she wanted to say that wasn't allowed, and it really wasn't, Ayumi didn't have the heart to tell that to Elsi.

The girl was probably unaware of it or perhaps she just hadn't outgrown her sibling-crush even at this age. This wasn't entirely impossible as she still called Keima as Kami-Onii-sama after all, why would anyone call another person **God** so easily? Something must have happened in the past that made Elsi hero-worship Keima so much and embarrassingly, Ayumi wanted to know exactly what caused her to do that in the first place.

It must be something important for Elsi and yet, something insignificant for Keima... that was all Ayumi was guessing based on her own experience and knowledge from soap operas that she liked to watch.

'Kami-Onii-sama!'

Getting up to greet him, Elsi happily clung onto his arm even as Keima nodded to her in acknowledgement. It was something that the other girls weren't allowed to do so and once again, Ayumi felt a bit jealous of Elsi as she had managed to 'earn' or to 'persuade' him to do as he didn't allow her to do so at the start, only starting recently.

It had started without anyone of them realizing and was that the hint that it was 'natural' for them to do so? If that was so, Ayumi had many comments to say about that!

'How are all of you feeling? I hope that you are not too tired.'

Looking at each of them and only nodding when they all replied that they are fine, Keima took a seat in front of them before explaining that he had asked a favor from the Singing Wizards.

'But I won't be sharing this with all of you just yet... It's going to be a secret.'

Closing one eye and looking very mysterious indeed, Keima had the girls attention and would have been the center of a much needed questioning session if not for a sudden interruption in the form of the door to the waiting room swinging open, catching the attention of everyone present.

..

'Ahem, we will now be announcing the results of the judges decision...'

It was time, the moment of truth and everyone was focused on him as he read out slowly, perhaps deliberately or perhaps it just seemed slow as each name read out from the list spelled joy or disappointment for the individuals involved.

Everyone was focused on the student that was reading out the results, going with the list of participants who would be selected for the Main Mai-High Festival Showcase Concert first.

Everyone that was, but Katsuragi Keima, who was distracted by a sudden mail delivered to his cellphone instead of his PFP. It wasn't common, in fact there was only a few individuals who would do that and Keima wondered why Mari would be messaging him right now when he started.

It wasn't Mari at all, it was Nakagawa Kanon and Keima wondered why she did that. After spending quite some time with her, Keima had made it clear to Kanon that he really didn't like having a cellphone around and he only carried one due to her mother's insistence. With a PFP, Keima had access to his mail address and everything and so there wasn't really a need for him to have a cellphone at all.

So if Kanon really wanted to contact him, she would only need to mail him through his mail-address as he had set it so that it would play a specific tune if Kanon sent a mail to him.

When Keima did read the mail however, he knew that his gamble had paid off even as the girls started looking at each other in disbelief.

..

'…'

They were shocked speechless as they were not selected for the Main Mai-High Festival Showcase at all and even though some of the other bands were cheering and congratulating each other, one other band was sharing the same shock as the Singing Wizards could not believe that the 2B Pencils were not selected along with them.

That said, the shock was too much for them as they just stared into blank space, trembling just a little even as Adachi walked towards them, trying to offer his sympathies when he stopped and just stared.

Keima was still smiling, and was carrying that small confident smile with him even as he reached to pull the girls together in a group hug. Now, Keima wasn't hugging them per se, but gathering the girls together as they clung to each other for comfort. The disappointment that they felt was great but that wasn't compared to the feeling of sheer shame that they felt for letting Keima down despite all he has done for them.

'I'm sorry... we're sorry, Katsuragi...'

Speaking on behalf of the group at long last and breaking the silence as the arm that she had wrapped around Ayumi and Elsi tightened a little to bring her band mates together for a tighter group hug. It was like the first crack in the dam and the girls started apologizing repeatedly and softly as well, not daring to look up as they just struggled not to cry while Keima just wordlessly looked at them with that same confident and yet perhaps, forgiving smile.

They didn't know why he was still smiling, was this within his expectations as well? How could he? Didn't he say that he would get the girls to perform at Mai-High? Or was he just happy that they failed so he could get rid of them?! That was a really traitorous thought but Keima was able to nip it in the bud when he broke the silence too by gently telling them it was alright.

'All of you did well... you're always the number one in my heart, all of you... and I mean it.'

Petting their heads like they were children, the girls knew then that he was trying to comfort them too and they choked back their tears... for a while at least till it was Ayumi who started to cry, sniffing a little as she asked him would he still be their manager after they failed him.

His actions and his words affected Ayumi the most after all as it bore an uncanny similarity to how she was captured and Ayumi found a part of her was seemingly restored to her when Keima nodded and squeezed her hand, causing her to smile back in reply, finally looking up and freezing when another person was standing just behind them.

..

'Ms Okada.'

It was Keima who identified her and what happened next caused Ayumi to hug Keima in joy and disbelief. There was no other word to describe what happened when she simply stated that: 'You girls would be performing as Kanon's guest stars in the Mai-High Festival.'

No one really remembered what happened, but all of them knew that after 'whatever' happened, all of them were hugging Keima tightly as though he was the person who had made it all happen.

Oh wait, he was the one who did that, right?

* * *

**Author's Notes: I wouldn't want to drop AZ to a hiatus, after having so much fun with it... So please, do me that favor.**


	75. Tribulations

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 75: Tribulations**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta edit as always!**

* * *

**..  
**

The Singing Wizards were unsure how to make of the situation, really, they were at a loss as to what... they actually felt about the whole affair.

Their rivals, the 2B Pencils were not selected for the Mai-High Main Concert at all to the shock of everyone present. Even if they were the favorites going into the audition together with them, they had withstood the pressure of the expectations on their shoulders even if they were a very, very green band with just one performance under their belt.

Remarkably they had not even seem phased when they started their performance, and the Singing Wizards knew that they had met and even surpassed what everyone expected of them.

Their one minute of fame was not over yet, it was something... incredible the way they were able to let their songs be infused and imbued with so much emotion that even they, veterans of many gigs and concerts were touched and reminded of their first gig.

It was something totally different and they made mental notes to remind their juniors, the up and coming members of their band to be wary of them, the 2B Pencils as they were the band to watch.

They weren't faking it either as it wasn't just the Singing Wizards, but many of their fellow competitors and the audience could tell that they were really, really enjoying themselves as they played.

Beyond playing for the audience, they were playing for themselves, and yet at the same time managed to perform for the audience as well. Talk about merging work and hobby together!

In short, everyone knew that the 2B Pencils were sure shoo-ins to be accepted for the concert so it came as a shock when they were left out of the concert, and everyone's eyes were on them as they gathered together with their manager, Katsuragi.

..

Speaking about the manager, Katsuragi, the Singing Wizards had left out the offending member who had made certain advances to one of the 2B Pencil members from the group by the decision of their manager, Kabuto Adachi and in most aspects, most of the older members welcomed the move as they... were not impressed with the boy's conduct anyway.

Being fond of using the band to bolster his personal image, the stunts and trouble he pulled were sullying the image of the Singing Wizards and they needed to teach him a lesson.

One thing they were in agreement on was that perhaps the girls and their manager overeacted to the incident, but perhaps he was just too damn overprotective.

Even so, they knew that their own manager had very high expectations of him, Katsuragi, and even them to some degree begrudgingly accepted him as being quite a formidable and effective leader due to the 2B Pencil's meteoric rise in fame.

'Shouldn't we...'

One of the boys looked at Adachi who seemed a little disturbed as well, rubbing his chin and mumbling to himself about the results of the judging and when they finally got his attention, Adachi seemed unsure as well, a rare occurrence.

'I'm not sure it would be a good idea if we comfort them... It may seem that we are rubbing it in, but it really isn't the case here, is it?'

Doubting himself, Adachi sighed before eventually nodding his head at in agreement.

'It's the least we can do, although the results are highly in doubt, it doesn't hurt to just offer our condolences, would it?'

Looking a little unsure, Adachi and the Singing Wizards headed over to the 2B Pencils.

* * *

..

'Woah! You guys are looking a little excited there...'

It was an understatement as as soon as Kanon's manager, Tomoe Okada had left the gaggle of girls and solitary boy, they had converged around their manager in a flurry of hugs, perhaps a few kisses but surely hugs as they just radiated joy and happiness.

They were happy about not making it for the Mai-High Festival? That was odd indeed and the Singing Wizards weren't the only people that found it odd as the other groups were looking at them in confusion and curiosity as well.

Ms Tomoe Okada, Kanon's manager and from a point of view, the person who knew and could spot talent a mile away.

For her to come down to speak to the 2B Pencils personally meant that they were recognized by her, and by extension the agency that she was part of.

It was a break that even Adachi wasn't able to accomplish and Adachi looked a little jealous and at awe at Katsuragi who was silently surveying all that was around him. His cool head and ability to focus on what was important seemed unshakable even when he was hugged by not one, but at least two attractive girls all at once.

'A-Ah!'

Reacting to Adachi's words by pushing Keima away roughly and causing him and Ayumi to fall on the floor, Haqua laughed nervously even as Chihiro and Elsi exchanged high-fives with each other. However it was not her but the silent one the one that was mostly overlooked, Terada Miyako who answered calmly with a big smile on her face.

'I guess we all are... the news was sudden... but not unwelcome, if I may say so!'

Barely controlling her own excitement, Miyako subtly directed their inquires to Keima, who was helping a blushing Ayumi up before backing away to hug Elsi, who was so excited that her eyes were spinning in excitement.

'I apologize, but I... I do not think that this is an appropriate time and place to share the news that we have just received... After we verify the situation, I will ensure that all of you would be properly updated through the usual channels.'

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God,** was really like a spokesperson for the 2B Pencils, and this fact was reinforced by this incident as everyone had to hold back their curiosity in the face of his crafted words.

It was obvious to all of them that he was holding back the information just to increase the impact of the news that was just delivered to them but they had to be satisfied when Keima gathered the girls together and started leaving the room that all of them were gathered in.

Just before he left, Keima turned around to all of them, still hoping for some hints on what happened and bowed to them formally before announcing:

'We'll see all of you at the Mai-High Festival then.'

* * *

..

'Yaaay!'

It was Elsi who was unable to contain herself as she entered the club house while clinging on to her instrument like it was the most precious item in her world.

But Elsi wasn't the only person who was too high for words and Chihiro could barely contain herself as she placed her own guitar at her designated corner before squealing out in excitement as well.

The other three girls, Miyako, Ayumi and even Haqua looked at the two of them before sighing in resignation at their antics. They couldn't blame them, could they? Not when they were still in shock at the big break that had been delivered to them.

Kanon's guest for her Mai-High Concert! That's probably unheard of as Kanon was used to performing by herself despite having held concerts at various places around Japan.

This was going to be one of her last few concerts scheduled for the year though and the target audience wasn't just the Mai-High students; it was going to be the big draw to pull people to visit the Mai-High in the first place, even if seats were extremely limited...

'I... I can't believe it.'

Miyako breathed again even as Ayumi nodded in reply, not trusting her own voice as Haqua just looked at Keima, who was the most level-headed out of all of them before pulling him to one corner and demanding to know if he had a hand in all of this.

'Of course.'

'W-What?! B-But...'

'No, I didn't rig the results and although it was a favor I pulled from Tomoe Okada, I did not ask her to pick all of you from sheer pity, I asked her to judge all of you herself and seeing that she was satisfied, that means that she had acknowledged all of you and your skills. It is no fluke, I can guarantee it... not when the stakes involved at the other end of the bargain is so high.'

Smiling a little while nodding his head, Keima pushed Haqua to persuade her to return to the girls, all of them having gathered together while unpacking their instruments. Keima had answered all of Haqua's unspoken questions and that left the devil a little exhausted at why she was getting all worked up for nothing.

What Keima didn't expect was for Haqua to pull him along with her to join the girls who beamed at Keima, expecting a speech from him as they looked up from what they were doing.

'Now that it had came to this, I do not expect to hear any complaints about training schedules, will I?'

Keima was business as always, and his words to the girls made them feeling a little dejected before Keima closed one eye and suggested that they all go out for dinner together, as a reward.

..

'E-EHH! Really?!'

It was Chihiro who leapt at the chance and it seemed that as usual, she was speaking on behalf of the girls who nodded in agreement when Chihiro said that she wanted to eat dinner at Cafe Grampa.

'Café... Grampa?'

Looking a little apprehensive, Keima's apprehensiveness grew when Chihiro said that all of them would help Mari out with the cooking as well.

'Why's... that? Although I hadn't said that I was going to treat all of you, I still woul-'

'That's enough, Katsuragi! You'll be footing the bill for the groceries though!'

Winking and laughing as the other girls nodded in agreement, Chihiro added on by saying that they had imposed on Mari for a long time too.

'I would... No, I guess all of us would want to show Mari and you some gratitude for sticking and believing in us for so long.'

Crossing her arms, Chihiro grinned as the other girls nodded in agreement.

Chihiro's sudden comment made Elsi recall their previous conversation on how they praised her for her cooking and Elsi panicked a little before realizing that it was a perfect opportunity to go all out with her cooking skills and she nodded in agreement to the idea even as Haqua felt a little faint.

Cooking? All of them? This was surely going to be a disaster! Or maybe not, Haqua wasn't so sure as she had tasted some of their bentos before... the issue was Elsi...

Looking to Keima for help, Haqua realized his hands were tied as Ayumi and even Miyako was looking forward to the idea, discussing on what they could prepare before all of the girls turned to Keima and told him that was no arguing out of this.

'I'll come Mari-san and ask her for permission! And we're going shopping afterwards!'

'Keima-kun will be carrying all the bags, neh?'

'I hope you're hungry, Katsuragi-kun, as I sure am!'

Looking just a little mischievous, Miyako persuaded the girls to come up with a menu first even as Keima's PFP rang, causing him to move away a little when he realized who it was that was messaging him.

'T-That sounds like a plan...'

Apprehensive but resigned to his fate, the **Capturing God** beat a hasty retreat to a corner to read the message from no one else but Kanon.

* * *

..

_'I've heard that the 2B Pencils are going to be my guest stars for the concert in Mai-High... Is that true? - Kanon'_

It was short, sweet and to the point, exactly what Keima appreciated and he paused while considering what answer he should give her. The wrong answer would trigger the exact response that he didn't want to see. One would imagine that he was currently in 'Kanon's route' and by helping the 2B Pencils out it would mean that he was triggering the bad end.

However, Keima was the one who had chosen this approach, this path and this route for a reason and he had specifically took pains and time to trigger this event to happen.

There was no way for him to just back out of this question from Kanon without a fight!

A yandere character was at heart, still a heroine after all and a yandere character, when handled accurately without provoking the dangerous side of her personality archetype, a yandere character can be considered as the most stable and easy to 'tame' archetype as the yandere character was devoted to the protagonist and would accept any request from the protagonist with no questions asked.

That was the beauty and appeal of the yandere character, someone who was devoted and loving to the hero with no questions asked... to a certain point.

Their obsession and dedication was what turned most players off when considering the Yandere character as they can be very restrictive. Yandere girls would only want the hero/protagonist to look at them and them only and would not tolerate any fickleness or indecisiveness from the protagonist at all.

That said, there were limits and lines to be drawn with all yandere characters, or to be put simply, a limit to their tolerance.

As to what was Nakagawa Kanon's limit? This was what the **Capturing God** was going to find out right now.

He had a rough estimate as to how Kanon would judge and calculate the various 'threat levels' to the girls around Keima, the 2B Pencils were... the main contenders for Kanon to consider as she desperately wanted to be by Keima's side.

That said, the one major 'flaw' for Kanon and one key reason that Keima was willing to bet his entire **Capturing God** throne on the line was that Kanon was an idol and she was declared as 'perfect'.

There was no one that could match up to her... and subsequently, no one who could even be called a real 'competitor' to Kanon. So there really wasn't any reason for her to be jealous or even be worried that Keima would be snatched away by anyone at all!

..

That was the card that Keima had been playing ever since he started gunning for the 'Kanon route'. There was no escaping the Kanon route as it seemed to be built into this 'game' that he was stuck in from the start. Her expectations of him, the rapid acceleration of her feelings as well as the extent of how much she was willing to give up for him made it virtually a 'lock' for Keima to be with Kanon if he didn't wish to reject her.

But rejecting any one of the girls was akin to asking him to commit suicide as he had to achieve the 'perfect end', 100% completion of the 'game' by saving all of them. Nothing less would suffice as this was the requirement of getting out of this scenario from the start.

He still had wriggling room though and as expected of the **Capturing God**, he was going to get out of this, no matter what it takes!

..

_'That's true, Kanon. Is there something wrong about that? - Keima'_

..

It was not in his nature to spend more words than necessary, unless it was for some reason or another, mostly for dramatic effect though. Keima does know that he tends to go off in a tangent when he was worked up or passionate about something but more often than not, Keima found himself trying to express himself a little bit more.

Whether it was a good thing remained to be seen though but overall, Keima found himself satisfied with his reply to Kanon. From the short message, Kanon's messages has never been quite as short, she probably wanted a quick reply and a quick reply she did when his phone rang again to signal another message from Kanon.

..

_'No, nothing wrong at all, Keima-kun! But... would you be supporting me... or them? - Kanon'_

..

Ah, so she wanted him to pick sides so soon? It was something that Keima did expect and he replied without hesitation as he sent of the reply immediately.

..

_'Both of you. As they are people I promised to take care of too. - Keima'_

..

Sending the reply off, Keima wasn't surprised when another mail was received from Kanon. No doubt she was unsure of her own voice or her own emotions to use messaging instead of talking over the phone. If possible, Kanon would always try to call Keima to hear his voice, or perhaps to check on his immediate surroundings.

The only reason why they exchanged mails was because everyone of Kanon's mails as of late had been an 'update' of sorts and she told him that she wanted to keep those mails forever to remind her of everyday they spent together.

It was borderline stalking now and the only reason Keima didn't comment much was that he knew of her archetype and that this was probably the tip of the iceberg as far as he was concerned.

..

'_Ah~ I see! So Keima-kun made a promise to those girls as well! I understand, but don't play favorites, Keima-kun! - Love, Kanon'_

..

It was painfully obvious that he had relieved or had convinced Kanon in giving up that line of inquiry by how she signed off, it was also something of wonder for Keima. He had read Kanon's emotions, her possible moves and actions like an open book... the odds of her acting out those parts by herself was still evenly stacked against Keima.

It seemed too perfect... or was he too perfect? It was a question that would continue to haunt her as he replied Kanon with a simple thank you and his reassurance that he would be with Kanon tomorrow as well, prompting yet another reply from Kanon.

..

_'Neh, Keima-kun... can I have dinner over your house today? I tried my hand at cooking a few days ago, so if you could allow me to... I would like to cook dinner for you today! - Love Kanon'_

..

Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** felt a chill run down his back as the image of Nakagawa Kanon pressing her ear against the door of the clubhouse seemed oddly fitting of the current development now.

No, it wasn't just matching, it might be the truth after all! There was no way, that this was a coincidence. The odds of this happening was...

'…'

Narrowing his eyes, Keima motioned for Haqua to come over to him and after showing her the message, Haqua paled and looked at him in shock.

'Does... does that mean-'

'Go, find out now... I'll stall the girls... so... you have to tell me. No, I have to know, Haqua. This is important... if I've miscalculated... the ending is finished, everything... will end prematurely.'

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R, please, especially if you support me!**


	76. Signs

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 76: Signs**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta-edit as always! New poll time, people!**

* * *

**..  
**

Haqua wasn't really fond of admitting that Keima was right, but as it was, as the look on Keima's eyes was so desperate that she couldn't just ignore it and she sped off, telling the girls that she had to visit the wash room before cloaking herself the moment she stepped out of the club house.

Her objective? To look for Nakagawa Kanon and to see what she was up to. Although Keima never quite explained to her, okay, she admitted that Keima did explain the situation to her but she didn't get what he meant.

How could it be possible for a perfect girl like Nakagawa Kanon to be dangerous? There was no way that she would or could be any of a threat but so why... why was Keima so shaken and rattled?

Yes, she admitted that coincidence was too good to be true, but wasn't that just it? It was a coincidence... and coincidences...

'Don't happen... Everything happens for a reason.'

Haqua narrowed her eyes as she remembered what Keima always liked to say and repeatedly too as he lectured all of them. Perhaps there was something true about his concern. Or it could be just a coincidence... either way... Keima entrusted Haqua to this job so she had to fulfil it!

'… Wait... so why am I at his beck and call again?!'

Grabbing her own head in frustration, Haqua took several deep breaths before going back to look at her censor again. Thankfully for her, Keima had instructed her to place a part of her raiment on all of the target girls to make things easier for her.

Of course, that brought to the light that nothing is _ever_ easy when it happens to them... still, that was just getting her down.

'Ah! There she is!'

Haqua smiled and then paled when she noticed the location of where Kanon's tracer was. She was just down stairs, there would be plenty of time for her to run down after hearing about their plans.

Was Keima right? Was she really... stalking him? That was something that Haqua didn't want to imagine or even begin to imagine... perhaps Kanon was just in the vicinity this one time? Either way... Haqua found herself feeling a little less reassured about the situation as she reported back to Keima and the other girls.

..

'So she was present?'

'She was... but she could just be there by accident... we don't know... whether she really was eavesdropping and spying on us, Katsuragi...'

Looking more than a little reluctant to admit that Kanon was really the culprit or was doing what Keima was insinuating, Haqua was a little relieved when Keima nodded his head in agreement as well.

'I know... I know, Haqua... I know! But...'

'You have to get a hold of yourself, Katsuragi... please, you were in control earlier so why now?'

Haqua brought up a valid point as Keima was sweating all over, probably bathed in cold sweat and it has been a while since Haqua or any of the girls had seen him so worked up or bothered about anything. This was big, Haqua knew it and she knew that Keima agreed with her on that, but why was he losing it at the most important part?! This was totally unlike him and Haqua looked up to see that the rest of the girls were looking at the two of them oddly, Elsi in particularly was narrowing her eyes at Haqua and she raised her voice while prodding Keima with her foot.

'Look at what you've made me do! I know that you are excited about me cooking for you, but even so...'

Looking a little disgusted at Keima, Haqua continued on while saying that her services don't come cheap, so he had to fork out a premium on the materials if he really wanted her to cook _that_.

'Ohh! What's that, Haqua-chan!'

Eyes lighting up as she began fantasizing about exotic dishes from other countries, Miyako rushed over while the other girls just shrugged and went back to their discussion, probably about what they were going to prepare while urging Elsi to call Mari to tell her about the news.

'It won't do if Mari-san started preparing dinner now, neh? So please, Elsi! Contact Mari-san for us!'

'Mm! I will! I'll be cooking Kami-Onii-sama's favorite dishes too! So my dishes are a secret! Haqua, you'll help out, wouldn't you?'

Taking the chance to extract herself from Miyako, who had started guessing what Haqua wanted to prepare for them, Haqua nodded to Elsi and said that she would, causing Miyako to pout unhappily.

'Ehh.. what about the dish you were going to prepare for Katsuragi-kun?'

'Next time, Miyako, next time... I promise!'

Nodding her head as she turned around to see a pale Keima clinging on to a chair desperately trying to stand upright, Haqua gave a startled gasp as Keima barely made it to the chair.

'Katsuragi! Katsuragi, are you alright?'

..

At Haqua's panicked cries, the girls rushed over to Keima, who was pale and shivering and after checking his temperature, definitely sick.

'A-Ah... Are you... that's a stupid question, okay, let's try that again.'

Coughing while trying to crack a joke, Miyako sternly told Keima that if he was sick, then he should have said so.

'You should be resting, not forcing yourself to be here for us... You'll not only make us look and feel bad... Let's bring him back to his home, shall we?'

Adding on warmly at the end, Miyako knew that none of them would object and with Keima resting an arm on Elsi's shoulders, the girls helped Keima out of the clubhouse and back home.

* * *

..

'Oh dear, what happened to Keima-kun now?'

Mari was surprised at the guests and although she had heard of what the girls planned, she had been looking forward to it too! Mari was Keima's mother first and foremost and she took over quickly, getting the girls to leave Keima to her as she helped him up to her room with Elsi and Haqua in two.

'Ah, Elsi-chan... can you and the girls help to prepare dinner like you said? I think I will bring Keima to see the doctor... he's really burning up now.'

Looking very concerned as she got an ice-pack ready for him, Mari smiled as Elsi and the girls nodded in agreement to her suggestion.

'We were planning to do that without you asking anyway, Mari-san... so you should hurry and bring him to the doctor!'

Ayumi nodded together with the rest of the girls even as Haqua suddenly called out to her.

'W-Would it be okay if I come along too? I think Elsi can cope by herself... and I know that the rest want to cook for Katsuragi...'

Allowing a wry smile to appear on her face at the expense of the others, Haqua laughed a little as she helped Mari pull Keima back to his feet. Keima was really out of it, or really good at acting as Mari nodded in agreement.

'I guess it's okay... I could use some help. I'll be relying on you, Haqua! Let's go then. You girls, don't cook anything luxurious, alright? I don't think it'll be a good idea for him to eat something like that. Something light please...'

Clapping her hands to show that she appreciated their help, Mari, together with Haqua, set off with Keima, leaving the girls to their own devices as their stared at each other.

'Well... I guess we should decide on what we should prepare huh... Nothing too spicy or extravagant then...'

'But... just porridge is boring...'

Chihiro muttered while Ayumi nodded in agreement.

'We'll just cook something light, like soup and steamed chicken... that would do quite nicely as a start.'

'Grilled stuff is allowed right? I'll lay off too much oil then...'

'Eh... That's not a lot... perhaps we should look at the cookbook...'

The girls, although very upset at Keima's sudden collapse, weren't going to let it get them down too much and they started planning on what they would prepare for Keima.

At least... till they heard someone ring the doorbell of the café.

'Eh? Is there someone there?'

'Ah that's right, Mari-san would put the sign to say that the Café was closed right?'

Looking at Elsi, who suddenly seemed a little tense, the girls nudged Elsi, telling her that she should probably go and answer the door when she finally returned to the world of the living and nodded her head.

'Mm! Gomen! I'm going now!'

..

Running over to the door, Elsi took a deep breath before answering it with a big smile.

'Hai, Cafe Grampa and the Katsuragi Household desu! How may I he-'

Elsi stopped half way in shock and as the girls gathered around at the front door, they too were unsure how to reply to the girl that was looking at them curiously.

'Hai... Nakagawa Kanon desu... Ano... is Keima-kun in?'

* * *

..

'… You're faking it, aren't you?'

Nudging Keima as they sat at the back seat, Haqua looked up to see Mari was chatting with the cab driver, urging him to drive faster even as Haqua 'tended' to Keima, applying wet wipes repeatedly on his forehead even as Keima nodded subtly to her.

'… But I... don't feel that well, that is the truth.'

Haqua didn't blame him for feeling under the weather, if it was her, she would have collapsed a long time from the work and time that he had spent on all of them, Kanon included but Keima had weathered all of it for today.

At least, that's what Haqua had heard him say. That this was the penultimate chapter of the story that he was crafting, so why the sudden act?

'… Whatever the cost, I must... not let Kanon see the girls as a threat.'

'A … Threat? What threat?'

'Kanon must know, feel and acknowledge that she is the heroine here... any less and she would... be suspicious. If she is suspicious, it would mean that she would still have doubts and would no doubt take action, pulling me away from the 2B Pencils. That is something I cannot afford, their affection points are maxed out... but if Kanon intervenes... we risk the girls as well.'

Resting his hand across his eyes to mask the fact that he was conscious, Keima smiled a little as Haqua asked him why he left the girls alone with Kanon if that was so.

'… Kanon is a girl who is very insecure at heart... no doubt most of the girls are, but I digress... Kanon would want to see first hand what was going on between me and the girls before she could set her mind at ease. No doubt that it is still a precarious situation, but one has to admit that all of them would be expected to treat me better when I'm ill, am I not right?'

It was true after all and Haqua nodded in agreement while clapping her hands in understanding.

'What's wrong, Haqua? Is Keima-kun up already?'

Mari called out to them as they turned a corner and Haqua told her that he was probably still dreaming.

'He said something about a game that I didn't quite understand, Mari-san.'

'Ah, that's usual... at least he's still Keima-kun!'

'I... I guess so...'

Before Haqua could drift again, Keima reminded her that no matter what, he was in the 'Kanon' Route now.

'… It'll be hard... but I want you to help keep an eye on Elsi... she might be a little protective of me today... after all, this is her home turf.'

Was it odd how Haqua laughed when she imagined Elsi baring her teeth at Kanon for the sake of Keima... But it really wasn't funny at all. For all she knew... Elsi would really do that for him.

'… Shut up, Keima... it's your fault I got into this mess in the first place...'

Hitting him lightly on the head, Haqua kept silent as the cab drove on, unaware of her complicated feelings deep inside her.

* * *

..

..

'He's just exhausted, has he been staying up lately? It really is nothing serious.'

Smiling as he gave his diagnosis after checking Keima's temperature as well as looking down his throat, the doctor declared confidently even as Keima groaned and said that his head hurt.

'And slightly dehydrated... not to mention we have some inflammation of the throat...'

His diagnosis continued on even as Haqua got more and more nervous as it continued.

'So is it serious? He... seems to be really ill if there's so many things wrong with him.'

Clutching Mari's hand in worry, Haqua blurted out of the blue and everyone present looked at her before shaking their heads.

'Not really, it's just symptoms of exhaustion. He needs plenty of fluids, a good rest and maybe have some antibiotics for the inflammation. There's no need to worry, he'll be fine after a few days. Provided he gets what he needs.'

Smiling as Keima nodded while asking for some headache medicine, the doctor agreed and added it to the prescription list.

'Ah, it must be nice to be young. Your girl friend is really worried for you. Be sure to take care of this young man, won't you?'

Laughing as he teased Haqua and Keima, the doctor continued to chuckle while Haqua turned red and said that she wasn't Keima's girlfriend.

'L-Like hell I am... I'm just here because of Mari-san, to help her out.'

Frowning while crossing her arms, Haqua looked at Mari who looked back in a straight face.

'Mm, I don't mind if Keima-kun goes out with Haqua... I think the two of you would be a good match.'

Smiling as she pulled Keima's ear teasingly, Mari spoke with conviction as she berated Keima for falling ill like that.

'It's nice to see you working so hard for all of them, Keima-kun, but your health comes first! So if you overwork yourself again, I'll have to ask you to quit as their manager.'

Warning him sternly, Keima seemed nonplussed, but even he frowned a little when Mari said that the girls would understand.

'They are concerned about you too, Keima-kun. So, take care of yourself... as they won't be able to take care of you... Not that I think they wouldn't want to.'

Adding the last part as an afterthought as they left the doctor's office, Mari slapped Haqua's back as Keima just mumbled about how Mari shouldn't be getting any bright ideas.

'I'm sure Haqua would want to stay over today? The other girls would want to, right? I washed some of the school uniforms that you girls left over the weekend, so it's okay. I know with all of you around, Keima-kun wouldn't have much of a choice but to rest. A good night's sleep, doctors orders!'

Smiling cheerfully as she left Haqua and Keima on the seats before going off to get the prescriptions, Haqua immediately slapped the back of Keima's head as punishment for letting her go through all of that.

'… Stupid.'

'… I'm sorry.'

An honest apology from Keima made Haqua's hand drop down in shock before her eyes widened at what he was trying to say. He... was sorry?

'… For getting you involved in this... I know, you haven't... exactly moved on yet... but even so... you took the time to help me out.'

Looking away, Haqua knew that Keima referred to the time when he rejected her and he was right; it still hurt, but it was bearable... and most importantly.

'It's for Elsi's sake... so don't fail. If you do, I won't... ever forgive you... ever.'

Narrowing her eyes, Haqua crossed her arms and looked away as well, telling him that if he knew all that already... he should be doing his job properly and not letting it get so complicated.

'It's not complicated... it's that, many factors are beyond my realms of control... hence...'

Closing his eyes to get a small rest, Keima continued his mumbling with Haqua listening on.

'Everything must not come undone now... not when... I'm so close to the perfect balance.'

The perfect balance... that's what this whole capture was about after all.

'None of them... I won't fail any one of them... Not... even you.'

He added softly even as Haqua blushed red and looked away again.

'S-Shut up... Katsuragi... idiot..'

..

..

Unbeknownst to the two of them, Mari was looking at them from the distance, sighing and commenting to the pharmacist on how her son has his 'spring' too.

'It just seems like yesterday when I thought he'll never get interested in girls too.'

'Ah~'

The pharmacist nodded in a knowing manner, she had the same feeling too and it was something that she was always a little wee bit jealous about.

'Kids nowadays... they find ways to surprise me... I think that whatever they are going through now can't be compared to what _our_ generation has to go through though.

'Mm... I agree with that... we were made of sterner stuff then.'

Nodding in agreement, Mari was all business again as she picked up the medicine from the pharmacist, thanked her, and headed back to the two of them.

'Well, let's go back then!'

* * *

..

'… Are you sure about this?'

Looking very unsure of herself, Ayumi looked over her shoulder at Kanon and Elsi chopping vegetables together and she swallowed nervously when Miyako just shrugged a little helplessly.

'W-Well... not really.'

Miyako was not reassuring any one of them but they admitted that they had nary a choice. After finding out that Keima had fallen sick, or ill... Kaon had been adamant in helping to prepare dinner for him as well.

_'It's partly my fault as well. So it's my duty.'_

She had said so with finality and it was with the utmost reluctance that Elsi had finally given in to her. If Ayumi hadn't imagined it, Elsi... had seemed very upset at her entrance and ever since then, hadn't been her usual self at all...

Thank goodness there was an abundance of culinary tools all around the place... or Ayumi was sure that the two of them would really come to conflict with each other.

Who knew that Elsi and Kanon would 'fight' each other over Keima-kun?

'… It's not like I wanted to or anything...'

Ayumi muttered softly while Chihiro blinked and asked her if she said anything.

'N-Nothing! Nothing at all... Gomen...'

Ayumi blushed while she continued to stir the chicken broth that she had prepared. It certainly wasn't the celebratory party they had wanted, but if she was near Keima-kun... and he could appreciate her efforts. It was worth it... neh?

* * *

**Author's Notes: R&R + a poll participation would make my day!**


	77. It's Complicated

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 77: It's Complicated**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta as always. ARGHH I'M SLIPPING UP.**

**I think.  
**

* * *

**..  
**

If anything, the title gave it away and even Mari found the situation hopelessly fitting. It really was complicated and if she didn't know better, the kitchen had been the scene of a battle never seen before in the history of the Katsuragi household.

After returning home from the doctor's visit, Mari had found that dinner had been prepared, done quite well too by the band of girls that she had left home.

They said they wanted to surprise and thank Mari for being such a great support for the band, as well as making this a celebratory party for their newest gig.

As they had been so excited over the phone, Mari caved in to their suggestion. It wasn't often that Mari surrendered her chef's hat, title and kitchen all in one go. Normally Elsi had to put on her most adorable pout and begging before Mari allowed her to take over the kitchen; assisting her was fine though.

Perhaps it was due to how Keima had collapsed from exhaustion but Mari had no regrets now as the girls seemed to have done a great job.

The dishes were light, mostly prepared by steaming or were soup-based dishes, but despite how the girls were going light on the sauces and condiments, Mari knew that their heart was in the right place.

Besides, Mari wouldn't have them just go out with extravagant dishes if they hadn't proved themselves worthy of that. Now that they did, Mari told them that they were welcome in the kitchen if they ever so desired.

No, the main issue wasn't what the girls prepared but rather the other girl that had helped prepare those dishes for her.

Nakagawa Kanon was the top idol of Japan and was apparently, someone that Keima was helping on a regular basis.

Although Mari was a huge fan of Kanon, she hadn't been too impressed by her manager's attitude towards her daughter; how could one imagine accusing her lineage and where she came from?! Whatever her parents or whatever the circumstances that caused her to be born, Elsi was Mari's perfect little daughter and anyone who wished to change that had to go through her first!

So all in all, Mari's first impression wasn't that good... but Kanon made up for it by being a very adorable girl, she was even prettier in person than Mari had imagined, and even while wearing a school uniform! Mari noted that Kanon was wearing the same uniform as the girls did, meaning that they were in the same school.

'O-Oh... I'm in the same class as Keima-kun too.'

Kanon had offered when Mari asked her about it and this made Mari blink in surprise, not only because how the girls didn't mention that before but how Kanon was able to call him so informally.

Or perhaps Mari was just a little taken aback at how Kanon was treating Keima, putting his welfare above hers for now. Ironically, now that Mari could fill in the pieces of the puzzle with the pieces from Kanon, it became obvious that Keima was working himself ragged due to the difference in proximity between Kanon and the 2B Pencils.

Well, it was Keima's choice, and as such, Mari was not going to force him to do anything that he didn't want to.

Even so, it was very heartening for this development to develop... and to see it first hand must be a reward for Mari's patience and faith in Keima.

..

Back to the dishes however, Mari found herself a little... queasy as although the food was nice and the quantity was more than sufficient... the stuff they served was more, for the lack of a better word, hospital food. No, it wasn't really as bad as the food served in hospitals but rather it was similar to how one would feed a patient.

She guessed that the girls wanted to prepare food that would be palatable for Keima and yet at the same time be good for his condition. Of course, with the lack of diagnosis and what Keima was suffering from, they had gone with high-fluid and light nutritious meals like porridge or fish soup. That would be fine and all, considering that Mari was preparing to cook some chicken soup for Keima but when the entire table was filled with similar varieties of the same dishes, it... really wasn't palatable for _her._

Well, that just showed how much Keima was on the girl's mind though and so Mari let it slide.

'… Gomen... Mari-san.'

Scratching her head as she sat down beside her, Chihiro apologized as she told her that they really should have prepared a menu beforehand, as well as who would be preparing what.

'I guess we got too carried away... gomen... and we wanted to impress you too! Looks like it'll have to be another time.'

Smiling apologetically at Mari, Chihiro offered a smile back when Mari shook her head and said that was enough.

'All of you did well, and it's really the thought that counts... Honestly, I wouldn't be sure that I could prepare all of these just by myself...'

Looking proudly at the dishes that were in front of her, Mari turned to see the other girls, Kanon included, beaming at the praise. Apparently, they had been quite depressed at what they had came up with earlier, but now that Mari had praised them for it, they were satisfied with their hard work.

'Keima-kun... Daijobu?'

Asking in worry, Keima nodded his head while narrowing his eyes at the bowl in front of him. Mari laughed at that as she knew that Keima wasn't really fond of foods with those kind of textures. Sure, he could swallow them down easily with help but he just disliked it.

'Dai...jobu.'

He muttered weakly, giving into the puppy-eyes that Kanon was giving him and trying a bite of the porridge that Kanon had prepared. For the record, Chihiro and Elsi had prepared soups/broths while Ayumi and Kanon had prepared the porridge.

Miyako had taken time to prepare the side-dishes, which Mari enjoyed very much as it had taste! Sure, she was probably exaggerating it but still! Still! It was good!

..

'It's good...'

Keima managed to give with a small smile and it caused Kanon's face to lit up in pure joy and Mari was sure that the younger girl would have hugged or kissed Keima if not for the fact that the other girls were staring at her. It wouldn't do for Kanon to lose her composure here, would it?

The one question that was eating into Mari was...

'… Are the two of you going out? Together that is.'

The question was posed by Mari quickly, swiftly and efficiently before any of the girls could register what was going on. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that one could hear a pin drop at that very moment for Kanon blushed and looked to Keima for an explanation.

After several minutes, where everyone was conscious of their own breathing, the sounds of Keima eating thoughtfully and the image of Nakagawa Kanon smiling in anticipation to the question, the **Capturing God** finally spoke, clearing his throat and getting the attention of everyone present.

'… It's complicated.'

Before the outrage could begin, Keima looked at Kanon, who was doing her best impression of a hurt puppy that had been just denied her bone and he sighed again.

'… But perhaps it's something like that... we aren't sure yet.'

It was the most frank admission that he has said so far and Mari felt bad that some of the girl's shoulders slumped a little in defeat, especially Ayumi, who looked like she was fighting off tears as she smiled back in support of Kanon.

'B-But we'll work through it together!'

Kanon managed to gush out, recovering herself after Keima's first statement and she reached out to wrap her hands around his arm. The fact that he didn't immediately push her away showed that he was at least accepting of her and it made the other girls slump a little more in realization.

'… It's a work in progress. But it is complicated...'

Keima admitted before going back to dinner and together with Kanon, who was looking at him eagerly, they looked and matched the part of a new but happy couple, causing Mari to feel a little jealous at how Keima treated Kanon, his lover.

'C-Congratulations!'

Ayumi finally managed to choke out, and she smiled at Kanon and Keima before the rest of the girls finally recovered as well.

'Ah, that was fast... although I didn't think it was impossible...'

Chihiro mumbled aloud and then grinned when Kanon blushed and shook her head, telling everyone that it was still... a little complicated.

'… Ah-Ah... Are you two going public with this?!'

Miyako's sudden question gathered the attention to Kanon again and the pink-haired girl blushed before looking at Keima, who immediately shook his head.

'No, right now I'll just be pulling Kanon back. Perhaps later on, when I can make more contributions...'

'Nonsense! Keima-kun is doing very well! Isn't she, Kanon-chan?'

Rallying behind Keima, Ayumi smiled when Kanon nodded and smiled back at Ayumi. It was perhaps the first honest smile that Kanon had given her and it caused Ayumi to feel a little sad at the new development of their relationship. So it had came to this but she supposed it... was inevitable... but even so... Keima hadn't given her a reply yet so...

'… It's still complicated, why is it complicated, Kanon-chan?'

A statement that threw the mood of the entire dinner way off and it was uttered by none other than the one person who Mari expected would be happy about the situation, Katsuragi Elsi.

The young demon was sipping her soup patiently, almost as though she was looking at them under a microscope. There was anger there, but it was detached anger... as though she didn't know what to make of their stupidity that was making Elsi mad.

..

Miyako started a bit but she understood what Elsi meant. When Keima said that it was complicated, he was still being vague with his admission of their relationship. Even if some of the girls, Miyako included, were put off by this new admission that there was indeed something going on between the two of them, Elsi was steadfast on her tracks and refused to be budged.

'… It.. It's complicated...'

Kanon managed to repeat again, turning to Keima for some help in answering but to her dismay, Keima stared hard at Elsi, his expression steely, as though challenging her sister in something.

'… Elsi... it's none of your business.'

Mari gave a small gasp and so did the rest of the girls as it was the first time Keima had been so blunt to Elsi. The two's relationship had been great, one could even say that it was beyond a normal sibling relationship. Had something really happen between Kanon and Keima for him to defend it so vigorously, even from Elsi?

'If you say so, Kami-Onii-sama~ But Kami-Onii-sama... it'll be nice if you give Kanon-chan and all of us a real answer for once~'

The gibe at Keima was well placed, or one could say to be expected from Elsi as one wouldn't expect anything less from her at that point of time, and he narrowed his eyes while preparing to snap back at her.

There was a tipping point in this conversation so far... and Mari was aware that dinner was probably spoiled with the confrontation between the siblings if someone didn't intervene now.

'Listen Elsi-'

That person was Haqua and she stood up suddenly before declaring that she wanted a refill of rice and subsequently pulled Elsi with her to get one, despite her protests. Elsi was eager to continue the argument or debate in front of all of them but it seemed that Haqua had enough.

It was like a cue for Mari to intervene as well and she told Keima off for being so rude to his sister, causing the other girls to keep quiet as the small family quarrel finally died as fast as it had began.

* * *

..

'What were you doing there?!'

Haqua demanded from Keima even as the girls chilled around in the living room, finding more in common than they were able to in their last meeting.

Perhaps the girls had mellowed or perhaps they had just given up after Keima's admission, no one was really sure as the dinner ended on somber note, which was a stark contrast to what it should have been.

A celebration to the 2B Pencils's greatest triumph!

'I have to please Kanon.'

Keima replied with a small sigh as he cleaned the dishes together with Haqua. Elsi had retreated and barricaded herself into her room and no matter what Mari tried, she just wasn't coming out.

'Okay, I get that... but why would you want to hurt Elsi along the way?'

Haqua demanded even as she quickly and expertly finished washing her share of the dishes, Keima on the other hand was taking it slow... not much of a surprise as he _was still_ sick after all.

It had taken some persuasion from Keima to even be allowed to wash the dishes. Kanon had been adamant in helping out but it took only a few choice phrases of concern and perhaps, some other choice phrases of affection from Keima for her to be consigned to socializing with Mari and the rest of the girls.

The young idol was no doubt in high spirits despite the earlier fiasco with Elsi but as Keima had pointed out, that was the least of Kanon's concern.

'It is common for a heroine to not get along with the protective sister... to Kanon, Elsi is not the one that needs winning over. Mari is the person who she needs to persuade to accept her.'

'E-Even so... there's no reason to just say that to Elsi! Yes.. I know you didn't say much but... she's in a very sensitive condition now... if she gets mad...what about the Weiss?'

'I was testing her limits.'

Keima offered without hesitation and although it made Haqua tilt her head in confusion at his choice of words, Keima elaborated without aplomb, showing that he really was sick as he was getting to the point so readily.

'There is comfort level with everyone as well as an affection level... right now, all of the girls are close to the max in their affection level and they are very comfortable with my presence... as compared to the past, it is like light and day... is it not that way?'

Keima asked Haqua and the demon nodded in agreement. The way they treat Keima was like totally different, like a different person.

'Besides all of that, there is a limit to how each girl could stand before, they, too give up. That is the limit that I am pushing... from what I can see, my vague answer to my relationship with Kanon had a very visible effect. Ayumi was close to giving up then, then it was Chihiro, Miyako. But Elsi was not affected at all.'

The effect of the sentence was lost on Haqua as her mind had stopped when Keima mentioned Miyako.

..

'W-Wait Wait! WAIT!'

Raising her hands in front of her in surprise, Haqua demanded to know when _Miyako_ had been added to the list and Keima blinked before giving an 'Ah' of recognition at her question.

'A while ago... could we get back to the point?'

Keima frowned when he saw Haqua squatting beside him, mumbling about why the girls would fall in love with someone as inconsiderate and manipulative as he was, but getting no response from anyone in particular.

Not that she really... expected anyone to reply her anyway. But it was no doubt worth trying, if only to ease the headache she had gained from dealing with Keima again.

'Right... back to the point. So... you were saying?'

'That Elsi was the only person who was unmoved by my declaration... That proves that the girls themselves, in that order that I've listed before, were wavering and probably would not challenge Kanon to an outright 'fight' for my affections. That is very reassuring as it meant that Kanon, too, would be reassured that none of the girls were competing with her for the prize.'

'Katsuragi... I know I've said this many times before... but you really... really are an arrogant person.'

Trying to change the flow of the conversation as Haqua once again tried to wrap her head around the idea that Keima was someone who was actually popular and well liked.

'Nonsense, I am only speaking the truth. The context of the whole situation lies solely with the girls, I only serve to encourage their beliefs.'

Keima added with no hint of embarrassment as he narrowed his eyes at Haqua, annoyed at how she was interrupting him so many times after he had to literally fight for the chance to have a small private chat with her.

He was in the 'Kanon' route now, and no doubt the girl was making inroads to her relationship with Mari and earning points from the girls for her dedicated attention to Keima. She had helped him with almost everything, shoving or just nudging Elsi aside and picking up where his sister had left off.

Besides hovering over him protectively, Kanon had always tried to engage Keima in conversation and from how Keima replied slowly, thinking about his answers made Kanon one of the few girls who can hold a genuine and non-work related conversation with him.

One of the others was Elsi, but she was more of a listener than an actual conservationist, if that actually made sense.

'So... Kanon-chan is appeased now?'

..

It sounded odd even to her to refer to her in that manner but Kanon was a threat according to Keima, and Haqua knew that he knew his threats very well.

'Appeased? I suppose we can use that word... and yes, she is satisfied, that is for sure. In that case... all we have to do is to be patient.'

'And what about Elsi?'

'I'll persuade her.'

Keima answered softly to Haqua and the other demon simply nodded in understanding, knowing that she has nothing left to offer on that matter, not even a prayer.

Keima had decided to soldier on alone, even without her assistance and she sighed sadly as Keima just continued washing the dishes absentmindedly.

'There is nothing to worry about... I assure you of it.'

Keima spoke again even as he placed a plate on the drying board, causing Haqua to nod her head.

'Nothing more but for us to pray.'

'You're a demon... you don't pray.'

'Not to the Gods at least... ahaha~'

* * *

**..  
**

**Author's Notes: Well, I apologize for being so stereotypical about archetypes and all that... I guess I made that mistake before I realized it. Ugh...**


	78. Voices in one heart

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 78: Voices in one Heart**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the hardwork being my beta despite projects and college. Thanks man~!**

**Also, Moonflower's Wish, read it, -end shameless advertisement-  
**

* * *

**..  
**

Time goes by, as it usually does and despite the passing of time, Katsuragi Keima, the **Capturing God** found himself wondering and hoping that time didn't stop as he stepped into his sister's room.

His sister, Katsuragi Elsi was someone who had always been by his side, someone who although was difficult for him to accept, had became a part of his life that he didn't think could be possible.

Before her appearance and abrupt intrusion into his life, Keima was satisfied with the **'ideal'** and the **'world' **that he lived in at all times. With her interference however, he had been forced to exist in the **'real'** together with the rest of the human beings that coexisted with him there.

It was something jarring and in many occasions, he found himself dying and wishing to go back to his old life style.

Even now, he was lamenting how unfair the **'real' **was while at the same time acknowledging that if that was not so, there simply was no use unique niche for the '**real'** to exist in.

It was unfair, therefore it was, does it work that way?

Contemplating that as well as reminding himself how he had treated Elsi then, Keima spoke out loud to her sister, who was currently sitting on her bed and hugging her pillow while sulking.

Unlike the rest of the girls, who had gone ahead with their plans to socialize with Kanon, Elsi had retreated to her own room without anyone noticing.

Well, Keima was sure that Kanon noticed as he saw a distinctive triumphant smirk on her face when she thought that no one was noticing. It was almost scary considering Kanon was a yandere and that it was Kanon we are talking about, _Nakagawa Kanon _for god's sake.

Almost. Keima knew that it was inevitable for Kanon to feel that way and Elsi's action was like a puppy that was just told off by her master, dejected and upset, no doubt feeling betrayed by her friends who she thought would back her up.

Adding an additional painful reminder was that Mari had apparently supported Kanon too. The mere reminder that they were siblings didn't seem to deter Elsi; in fact, it seemed to make her feel a little justified with her stance.

Keima was not going to ask Haqua whether such relationships were allowed in New-Hell, seeing how she too was taking this situation just a wee bit lightly, more concerned with keeping Elsi happy than anything else.

..

But some things are better left unanswered, Keima wasn't sure if he could handle the truth with so many things going on at the same time.

Clearing his throat, Keima watched as Elsi shifted her body to face the wall instead of at her table, showing that she had indeed heard him and he simply sighed in response before walking towards the bed, PFP in hand while Elsi constantly shifted her position so that she had her back facing Keima when he reached her.

Even if he was feeling a little woozy, he promised Haqua that he would sort things out with Elsi and he sat on the bed, back resting on Elsi's bed despite her physical protests, moving and shifting her body so that Keima slid down her back to rest her head against the back of her neck.

From how Keima could feel her neck slowly burning up, she was obviously embarrassed at that new position but didn't make any effort to move away either; testament to how the relationship between the two of them was still comfortable enough for her to accept him.

It simply wouldn't do for her to reject him now, if she did, it would mean that it would be too late to try and salvage the situation without hurting Kanon. Thankfully for Keima, it was still going on according to his plan and he asked Elsi why did she react that way during dinner.

'Why couldn't I, Kami-Onii-sama?'

At least she was still referring to him by that title and he smiled slightly at that, knowing that she was still holding him in admiration despite what he has done to her.

It might not appear much, but a maiden's heart was as fragile as a piece of glass and as subtle as one as well.

One might never see the cracks forming till it was too late and too obvious for one to ignore, but at the same time, it was so difficult to look at it to see what was going on with it. Many a man or woman has crashed into it face-first without even knowing that they would meet an obstacle there.

Keima was one who could see it, feel it and was willing to scrutinize each individual pane to make sure that he could place it in the right place to show to the world how beautiful that particular person was.

'As it was very rude, Elsi... you have to consider Kanon's feelings too.'

'… When was Kami-Onii-sama concerned about feelings at all? Kami-Onii-sama never seemed to do that and now you are telling me to consider Kanon-chan's feelings? That's not what Kami-Onii-sama would say before... Kami-Onii-sama has changed... and I'm not sure I like this new Kami-Onii-sama at all.'

It was a straight forward confession from Elsi and Keima nodded in acknowledgement. That was a distinctive change from what Elsi would say, she could see and perhaps sense the inner change within him that he too has noticed but has not made any attempts to change.

..

It was an odd thing, that was called change, Keima himself acknowledged it even if he himself didn't really like it but most importantly, he wanted Elsi to admit it to herself as well. It was not part of his plans, per se, but it was a good opportunity, a bolt in the blue that Keima could use in his favor.

'I know. It's surprising, isn't it, Elsi?'

His voice was soft and gentle, not unlike what he used with Kanon and some of the girls at the end of the capture and one that he rarely, if ever uses with Elsi. Knowing that last part made him feel a little uncomfortable, it was not that he would ever... not want to use with Elsi, was he?

It was a tone of voice that he thought would make the other party listen to him, seeing how... different he usually was.

Was that wrong? Or was that simply pushing the line a little between reality and what was expected of him in the end? The line was blurred due to the long capture, or could...

No, it wasn't a capture, it was a quest to find the truth that has derailed into this contingency backup plan.

If this failed, there was nothing left for him, or for Elsi... maybe that was a good thing.

But he was the **Capturing God** and he made a promise to Haqua that he would save Elsi.

Even he, personally, wishes to save Elsi for he had been the one, perhaps unwittingly caused this to happen.

..

'But it is a part of me that I have to accept, like it or not, Elsi. You have to understand that.'

He continued on when Elsi didn't respond to his words, a sign that she was not willing to listen to that and he pressed on nonetheless, adamant that she at least listened to him and what he had to say about this new part of him.

'If not, I'm not sure how I can face you or the others, Elsi.'

His new statement surprised her and she looked up at him in confusion at his words, unsure as to exactly how it meant to her.

'I've spent so much time with all of you that it has changed me. I admit that even if I personally disliked that. It has caused changes in the perception of me, which although I had anticipated and know of, was not willing to fully embrace... but most importantly... this isn't a capture, Elsi. This is not a capture for any of them.'

Keima reminded Elsi of that fact, something that the both of them had probably forgotten over the long extended period they were involved in the capture.

'After all this is done and over with, I... have to consider what would happen immediately after that as well, Elsi.'

Slowly turning back to meet Elsi, Keima wasn't that surprised to see Elsi meekly doing the same. The two of them were siblings in a sense of the word and even if they weren't really related, they were partners and had spent a long time with each other.

Closer than what any of the girls would be, and this bond was strengthened in the entire 'capture' they had gone through together.

Even if Keima did surprise Elsi more often than not, she knew what he was most likely to do.

'So... Kanon-chan and Kami-Onii-sama is not going out together then? Really, really?'

'Why would you ask that, Elsi? Do you even realize what you are asking?'

A sudden question from Keima and it caused Elsi to look down as she slowly nodded her head, the deeper consequence of that question was what Keima was aiming for. If Elsi couldn't realize that, or if she could realize that, it would make such a big difference in what would happen later on, or perhaps earlier on.

'… I know, Kami-Onii-sama... and me are siblings.'

So she did know and if she did know...

'… It's wrong, isn't it? Kami-Onii-sama... it's wrong for me to think that way for sure... I realize it, I know it... But... but.'

Holding her hands up, Elsi looked like she was about to break that barrier, and Keima instinctively shook his head and Elsi's shoulders slumped when he repeated that same line to her again and again.

'This is not a capture, Elsi... what are you afraid of? Why... why are you so concerned about this... why, do you think this way.'

He was not forceful, the question he now posed was different. If Elsi could realize the implications of her own feelings and words, Keima was not going to force her to admit it to him out loud.

Instead, he wanted to know why Elsi was feeling this way. Why the sudden change in mindset and opinion, was it him that was causing all this? Probably... but could it be the girl's actions that had triggered some sort of protective instinct in her.

Keima would snort at that but it was true that Elsi first and foremost was also a girl, a girl who was quite popular in school in fact, and her popularity has increased since the explosion of fame for the 2B Pencils.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say and assume that Elsi was the target of many admirers.

Would he feel the same way if Elsi was suddenly asked to go out with one of the boys from the Singing Wizards?

..

'Kami-Onii-sama? You're shaking...'

Keima started as he realized that he was grabbing onto the sheets too tightly for comfort, his hands turning white with the pressure that he was inflicting on those poor sheets and he coughed awkwardly.

So he would feel the same way, or at least similar and he flushed just a little as Elsi turned her head slightly to the side, the earlier moment lost due to his lapse in concentration.

'I... don't want to lose Kami-Onii-sama... I want Kami-Onii-sama to be my side all the time... is that selfish of me?'

'Yes.'

Keima replied without hesitating or thinking and he didn't regret it even though Elsi's face fell in disappointment.

'What about Mari? And about the rest of them? Would you really want them to see you forever by my side?'

It was actually the wrong words to say, but now that Keima had said it, he had to go through with it, and he smirked a little teasingly as he crossed his arms and commented to Elsi that regardless of whatever happened, he was her partner.

'We are bound together by this.'

Pointing at the collar that he was wearing, Keima knew and accepted the fact that he probably looked and was avoiding the main point here... but...

'Even beyond that, we are siblings... you fought so hard to make me acknowledge that... I won't let you forget that as well.'

All in all, it was not the best heart-to-heart conversation they could have, there were loose ends to tie up and most importantly, questions unanswered.

But overall... Overall... it was good enough to placate Elsi again as she smiled and nodded her head in acknowledgement to that fact as she hugged him timidly, her hands touching him slightly before moving away, as if unsure as to what she should do just yet.

'I understand, Kami-Onii-sama... Thank you...'

..

It wasn't really enough, not what Elsi wanted truly in her small, breaking and fragile heart, but it was enough to make the pain... well, less painful.

It was difficult but her Kami-Onii-sama was right; she had fought so hard and did so many things for him to finally acknowledge her for who she wanted to be _then_. Was it right for her to undo everything that she had fought so hard for right now? Or... could she just continue along the path that she now truly wanted to be in?

She did it once, why couldn't she do it again now?

She understood, she knew what her Kami-Onii-sama was hinting at but at the same time, she knew that he was still looking over her shoulder, at the few girls that he had vowed to protect this time around.

He was **god,**therefore he was and therefore she found and continued to look up to him even now. If he chose to do differently, would her feelings be the same as they were now?

Elsi wasn't sure, she couldn't be sure... because she had clung on to that hope that he would act in the capacity of **god** that she was able to hold on for so long. If, in any situation he behaved differently, if he could show to all of them that he wasn't just the **god** that he still was.

That he was human, that he was capable to shrug off that burden and expectations of him to be a _human_ for a moment, Elsi had no doubt that her self composure would collapse immediately then and there.

Even if her feelings might change, she wanted them to change now... it was his actions that drew the line clearly to her and his words reminded her of that.

So Elsi reminded herself to be strong. To be who she has always been, even if it might hurt, even if it was still hurting.

For she knew that her Kami-Onii-sama was hurting as well in the outside as well as in the inside, racking his mind to find some way, any way to keep the smile on their faces.

Elsi was not all compassionate, nor was she self-sacrificial, she too had her own desires, wants and needs. She was a devil after all, a member of new hell and a _girl_. But she was a kind girl, one that was holding herself back for the sake of everyone else as she knew it was wrong.

She knew it was wrong... it was wrong...wasn't it?

* * *

..

'Thank you, Keima-kun.'

Kanon smiled at Keima as he waited with her for a ride and as Keima tilted his head to show that he wasn't sure what she was referring to, Kanon giggled and told Keima that it was for what was said during dinner.

'I... I've always been insecure, Keima-kun, so I was happy that you could say it out to all of them.'

Keima noted that Kanon was more concerned about the other girls and she mentioned it to Kanon, causing the pinkette to flush as she realized what she had said out loud to her.

'Ahaha~ Gomen... Keima-kun, it's just that... I'm... jealous of the other girls.'

'You shouldn't be.'

Keima replied smoothly, causing Kanon to pout and while narrowing her eyes, struck Keima on the shoulder repeatedly as she told him off.

'I should! They get to spend so much time with Keima-kun everyday in school, during lunch and after school too! All I got was a small portion of Keima-kun that is leftover after school.'

Shuddering a little at the visual image of what Kanon was talking about, Keima remarked that as long as they don't cut him up to pieces like that, he was fine with whatever the others think.

'Now that we made things clear, you should be happier now, aren't you?'

'I am! Don't get me wrong, Keima-kun! I am happy! But I don't think you realize you spend how much time with Ayumi-chan and Chihiro-chan!'

'It is to be expected, I am their manager after all.'

'But, even so... even so! That's not fair!'

Acting like a small child now, Kanon's frown got even bigger when Keima petted her head not unlike how he would do so with a small child while he looked around for Kanon's ride.

'Are you so eager to get away from me, Keima-kun?'

There was a hint of anger in Kanon's voice mixed into the confusion and Keima told himself to not get freaked out and adopt a humouring voice as he joked with Kanon.

'No, I'm trying to get you to bed early so that we can meet in our dreams tonight.'

It was a cliché line and it was so sappy that it made Keima feel a little sick inside. Still, Kanon took it all in at face value and just turned red as a cherry for a moment before she noticed Keima smirk down at the poor innocent idol.

Even if she was a closet yandere, okay, an open yandere, she was still an innocent girl at heart, despite all the hardships and trails, not to mention how reality has been harsh on her as an idol, Kanon still had dreams of being forever with the love of her life.

Keima could imagine Kanon sitting in bed and enjoying a sappy romance novel while giggling and fantasizing to herself all the way.

'You're teasing me, Keima-kun!'

'I am. But so are you, Kanon... you know that you can just quit all of it and take up all my time too, don't you?'

It was an offer that Kanon did not offer to him. For Keima was the one who had told her to keep doing what she was doing now before when he captured her.

It... had never occurred to her at all and she lowered her head slightly even as Keima continued on while solemnly stroking her hair.

'But if you do that, I'll never forgive you. Just as how you should never forgive me for telling you that for real.'

'Keima-kun...'

'I won't want to take you away from the things you are doing, that you have to do... so Kanon, please... I too, want to do something that I want to do.'

Despite herself and what she verified today...Kanon nodded her head as well.

It was only fair that she supported him in what she wanted to do, as he had been doing the same before returning to her life.

He must have been working hard all this time in order to finally be recognized and acknowledged by the people around her.

'I understand, Keima-kun...'

'Thank you, Kanon.'

* * *

..

**Author's Notes: I know _Kaiser Dude_ told me this before but this chapter signifies a big change for AZ, and goodness knows how I decided it, but I'm very happy with this development and with that, the final closing stages of Azalea Side.**

**Even if it's the final closing stage, it's still gonna be quite a while, seeing that I've promised myself to end at Chapter 50, what, half a year ago?  
**


	79. For the Future

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 79: For the Future**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: It was delayed a bit due to reasons. Well, thank you _Kaiserdude_ for the beta-edit.**

* * *

**..  
**

..

And so time goes by, like how it was supposed to be. Every minute, every second for that matter, all of them were heading towards the inevitable performance in the Mai-High Festival.

There was barely a few weeks, around 2 weeks to be exact, to the festival and every day the 2B Pencils stayed behind to practice, to get better, and to not disappoint their crowd.

Was it surprising to anyone that the 2B Pencil's fame only got more pronounced and noticeable in the school after that performance?

It was testament to Keima's ability that the 2B Pencils reached new heights once again as he managed to announce to the world that the 2B Pencils would be performing at the festival without directly announcing it out in their web page or anywhere else.

It was a simple enough rumour to start! He was their manager, and thus would know exactly what plans the 2B Pencils would have for the day, so a few careless hints on those desperate fan girls that would occasionally try to speak to him made the entire school buzzing with hype that the 2B Pencils would indeed be performing at the Mai-High Festival.

Honestly, Keima was a little shocked at the backlash or the disbelief that the fanbase felt when the results of the audition was announced the next day.

The bands that took part were probably shocked as well, but to see their home page swamped with messages of support, of rage against the judging panel, and appeals to have more gigs in order to 'compensate'.

But looking back, he guessed that it was a testament to his skill, knowledge, as well as the girl's showmanship that made it all possible. The Three 'S' that he wanted them to fulfil and to live with have all been met,so there really wasn't any reason for them to fail.

The main concern for him thereafter was to protect the girls from their increasingly numerous fans; it might be a stretch to say that the girls needed bodyguards but it was true that they would have to stick together in school or in the streets to avoid being swamped the few days after the audition.

..

Even his own reputation got better outside of his class and although people were still inclined to shy away from him; nowadays it was more of a combination of awe, respect as well as confusion as to how the _Otamegane_ could manage to be their manager.

Not that there was any dispute about the matter though, the girls had been firm and adamant on that fact after yet _another_ overzealous fan questioned them about Keima. What made the situation more tricky, or perhaps more explosive, was that he questioned Keima's ability as a manager in front of Keima, probably hoping to impress all of them by demeaning him.

Well, he was the one who was shamed when all of the girls stood up for Keima, every single one of them, and when even Haqua gave him the snub, he was quite a sorrowful sight.

Keima had to visibly fight the urge to smirk a little at that but thankfully he kept his face surprisingly neutral, cementing his position even more.

Keima did note that after the small regrouping session in the Katsuragi household, most, if not all of the girls were reserved around him. His declaration that there was something going on between Kanon and him was probably the cause. He was heartened to see that there wasn't really any backlash from the girls at all, and all of them had taken it reasonably well.

From the conversation over breakfast the day, it became clear that Kanon had really tried very hard to win over Mari, who was singing her praises while telling Keima about how Kanon invited the girls to tour her studio as well.

Keima was sure that Kanon was just 'marking her territory' even more aggressively now that she knew and recognized the girls were a serious threat to her chances.

Amusingly though, the person who was the most overlooked never quite changed her attitude towards Keima, Terada Miyako. She was herself, someone who could read more of his movements than ever and was quick to point out to everyone, the girls, and him that things were a little different after that meetup with Kanon.

Miyako stopped short on saying that the girls were avoiding him, which they were to some extent and Keima was grateful to her for doing that.

..

That said, Keima was there when Kanon invited the 2B Pencils over to the studio and he wasn't that surprised to have Kanon's claws all over him, literally, as Kanon was trying her best to be as indiscreet as possible when she could afford to do so.

It made him feel a little complicated as well, seeing that Kanon was still doing what he wanted her to do, to keep him out of the limelight but at the same time, she was certainly marking her territory.

Thankfully, or perhaps unfortunately, the girls were being too impressed with the equipment as well as the lessons Kanon were going through to care about that.

Particularly impressed were Chihiro as well as Miyako, whose eyes were shining as Kanon's teachers imparted their knowledge to them or when they were touring the various recording rooms that Kanon's company owned.

The two that concerned Keima the most were Ayumi and Elsi.

The latter notwithstanding, it was understandable that it would take Elsi quite a while for her to recover from her blue funk, and to sort out her thoughts regarding what their relationship should be like.

But Ayumi really concerned Keima even during the tour that Kanon had arranged a few days after the audition. For those few days, Ayumi had been extremely quiet, to the point that Keima was worried that Ayumi was indeed letting her own personal feelings affect the functionality of the group.

Was the 'sisterhood' that he had been trying to encourage not sufficient for Ayumi to fall back to? That was his plan, for all of them to have that friendship, that bond they shared and unwittingly, being surrounded with the same broken hearts to make the healing process easier.

Surprisingly though, Ayumi had initially seemed to be the one that had taken the news the best. Well, Keima knew that none of the girls would give up so easily with the exception of Miyako, but Ayumi had been the first to congratulate Kanon, hinting that she had been expecting this outcome a long time ago.

Even so, Keima could gather from the way Ayumi sometimes shoot furtive glances towards him that she was still waiting for an answer from him. An honest, straightforward and direct answer that would leave no room for doubt to give her closure on the matter.

If not, Ayumi would continue waiting, that was what Keima was sure and worried about.

* * *

..

'Katsuragi-kun?'

Hearing Terada Miyako call him, Keima looked up from the work that he was doing, yet another scheduling conflict for Kanon to see her offering him a cup of tea.

Due to the success of the 2B Pencils, the old classroom that they were occupying had undergone many minor changes. First of all was the girl's insistence that it should feel more like a clubhouse.

Since the classroom was reserved for club activities most of the time, the girls had decided to bring in their personal belongings to 'decorate' it a little.

They had started by changing the curtains to make them more opaque, giving them more privacy while they practiced their gigs.

That was the start of everything and pretty soon they had their own sign that read '2B Pencils Studio – Please Knock', Miyako had prepared their own personal cups for them after Elsi started preparing tea during their breaks and even Haqua had chipped in by getting everyone their own personalized picks or in Miyako's case, her own gloves as a gift to each other.

Naturally, Keima had been the one who had designed their logo before and he was the one who helped them with ordering the sign that was now displayed prominently outside of their clubhouse.

Interestingly, the student council had came down and asked formally if they would want to register themselves as '2B Pencils' instead of the 'Light Music Club', which was the focus of their debate today.

There were many pros and cons for each situation and despite being their manager, this was concerning their future as a group. Just like the Singing Wizards, who had their own problems in succession planning, Keima wasn't sure that it would be a good idea to continue on as the 'Light Music Club' and just go with the performing group of '2B Pencils' instead.

There were many distinctions between the two, but the main crux of the matter was that currently they were a 'club', and being a 'club' was required to allow more members to enter the club if they were interested.

Right now, they were apparently being flooded with applicants to join the club and Keima had no doubt that they were mostly fans who wanted to have a live 'performance', in front of them. He had adamantly refused allowing or even looking at the applications until after the Mai-High Fest.

..

Chihiro was the one who had started the club, and in essence, she had the final say but after hearing Keima's views and opinions about the matter, she had been torn as to what exactly to do.

This extended to the other club members as well, with Ayumi and Elsi fine with staying as a club, they wished to meet new friends as well as ensure that the club could go into new heights after their eventual graduation.

Haqua and Miyako however were more in favor of being called a performing group rather than a club as they felt that the group was fine as it was, and having other members would make it more difficult to manage the club in general.

For Keima, he was in support of the 2B Pencils being called a performing group as it gives them a lot more freedom to express themselves without being pulled back by other club members.

The 'sisterhood' between all of them was one of the main reasons that the band was popular; they just gave off the vibe that they did enjoy what they were doing, and the time spent with their friends, probably best friends, helped contribute to their image.

They weren't faking it, which could be quite commonplace with idol groups who had internal issues about popularity and etc.

Even within the Singing Wizards, personal agendas and political motivated actions were probably common.

The 2B Pencils were squeaky clean and united, something Keima wanted to protect.

'Thank you.'

Looking around, Keima smiled a little when he saw Elsi speaking with Ayumi over a cup of tea, her actions getting a little animated as she pointed at her bass, she probably had difficulties with it again.

Chihiro was nowhere to be seen, but as Keima recalled, she went out to speak to the student council about the clubroom arrangements together with Haqua.

'So what do you really think we should do, Katsuragi-kun?'

Sitting down in front of him and sipping her own cup of tea, Miyako frowned a little before reaching out to get a little more creamer while Keima simply made a face at the tea. It wasn't good, so it had to be done by Miyako or Ayumi.

'I'm not good with tea, I know that... but that's rude of you, Katsuragi-kun.'

Terada Miyako, an enigma from the start and even now was still giving off weird signals as she spoke with Keima.

It was not that he disliked Miyako; he found her refreshing, an individual who was different from most of the girls that he encountered. Or perhaps most of the girls were as wily and unpredictable as her, who knows? What he does know was that he had to be careful when speaking with Miyako, as a slip of the tongue might reveal what he was thinking to her.

And that's bad, really bad.

..

'Are you asking me personally or as a manager, Miyako?'

'Mm … I guess both? Katsuragi-kun is as professional as one can be, but I would like to know what you think as well.'

Keima nodded in understanding before going on to ask her about more details, specifically what did the girls want from their little band.

'Do you want to make this a living? Or just a past time? There are plenty of opportunities for all of you if we play the cards that we have well but in the same vein, we can view this as the highest point that we have reached. There is really no reason to take things so seriously to become professional; it all depends on what all of you want. Do you want fame or do you want the monetary benefits from your fame?'

Being practical but yet thoughtful, a weird combination no doubt, Keima went back to his work while Miyako considered the two options in front of her.

Ayumi and Elsi were too engrossed in their conversation to pay them any heed and when Miyako said that it was the latter, Keima smiled a little.

..

'So you do want to go pro, Miyako?'

First-name basis between the two of them were the norm now and it was a sign of respect and acknowledgement from Keima that Miyako wore with pride. Even if she herself was a little disappointed that Keima was... well, ignoring most of the girl's hints.

He wasn't oblivious to their hints; he just ignored them, which brought with them another ton of problems.

Well, as one who has given up the race, she wasn't one to talk.

'I do, but only if the others wishes to do so. I don't think I would want to join another band or just strike it solo. I'm just not that good.'

'You are being humble, out of all of the girls, you are the one with the most experience and skill. I wouldn't comment about the talent, however.'

Enduring a few short pokes from a pouting Miyako, Keima returned to his work while commenting to her again off-handedly.

'It is possible for you to persuade the others to join you in your endeavours. With any luck we can use the Mai-High Festival as a stepping stone forward to a semi-professional career.'

'Studying is important, neh? I guess I can take it one step at a time, but do you think the others would want to do so?'

'You'll need more help than that, you'll need to compose original songs and to have a suitable platform to market your CDs and etc, restricting it to the general area could be a start, but if you want more...'

Going on about the details about how it would work out, Keima looked up to see Miyako lowering her head before she asked another question softly.

'… But I won't do it if Katsuragi-kun isn't with us.'

Fighting hard to stop a sharp inhale of his breath, Keima paused for a few seconds before saying that was inevitable.

'I... promised to bring you girls to Mai-High's Festival... I'll do that... the future however...'

'You wouldn't stay, I know that, but I still want you to.'

Miyako was being direct. It had been a while since she had done so, no, she hadn't been this direct even during her confession to him. Now that, was a surprise indeed.

'It's because of Kanon, isn't it?'

Honestly, Keima was a little taken aback at Miyako's words, he had expected those words to come from Ayumi or even Chihiro, Elsi was a given but from Miyako, in broad daylight?! Preposterous!

'In a way, yes. It is an opportunity that would never resurface itself again if I give it up now.'

'But do you return her feelings, Katsuragi-kun? That is... what I am asking you right now. You are right, that is an opportunity that might never surface itself again but you could, like us, take small steps forward. With us, even if it's with none of us... but still, with us... it would make our decision that much easier.'

Keima knew no doubt what Miyako meant by 'with us' and he smiled a little sadly before nodding his head.

'That is true. I agree with you.'

'… That's all I wanted to tell you, Keima-kun. For I know that if you could make up your mind now, all of us would know what to do. Even if it's selfish and hopeless in the end, everyone only wants one thing.'

Sipping her tea, Miyako left the unfinished sentence hanging in the air even as the two of them looked behind them to see that Elsi and Ayumi were still absorbed by their conversation to notice.

Something that Miyako felt was better for all. After all, it wouldn't do for her friends to fall out because of him.

Especially if it's _him_ that made it all possible in the first place.

* * *

..

..

'How's the new song coming along?'

Asking the girls as all of them walked out of school, Keima raised an eyebrow when Chihiro coughed while drinking and the other girls looked a little sheepish at his question.

'Whatever your progress on the songs, I do need to remind you that you have to get it done by next Monday, that's the final dateline... you do understand that I am preparing programme sheets for you and Kanon? It would take time to print and-'

'Ah, programme sheets?! I didn't know we'd get those!'

Ayumi's eyes sparkled and she looked genuinely delighted at that revelation even if the other girls did seem a little uncertain.

'Well, I need to seek clearance from Kanon's manager but at the very least I want to distribute to the audience during your performance, all of you do agree and accept the songs that all of you are going to perform on the day itself, right?'

It was Keima who had chosen the songs for all of them and after listening to the demo tape that they themselves had recorded of the new songs, they felt a little underwhelmed. They were definitely better, but it was not even close to the emotions that the songs Keima chose made them feel.

'Neh, Keima-kun, do you know what Kanon would be singing on the day? She'll definitely be performing a few of her singles, neh?'

Asking out of curiosity, Ayumi was disappointed when Keima said that he didn't know and even if he did, he probably shouldn't tell all of them.

'That said, I can offer recommendations...'

His other comment made the other girls smile a little while complaining to him that he was playing favourites, which Keima denied vehemently.

'I look forward to what song you girls have composed. I trust that it would be appropriate, yes?'

The songs that Keima choose all had reasons and significance between the lyrics as well as who was singing them, and he hoped that it was a trend that would continue. Sure, it was definitely easier to craft a song to fit a theme than to find a song to fit the theme, but Keima thought he had done well in that aspect.

'That said...'

The girls turned to look at him as Keima paused and told them that he had a surprise for them as well.

'It's almost finished and I hope to show it to all of you soon. Till then, work hard... tomorrow's another day and all of you should rest well.'

* * *

**Author's Notes: I'm really falling behind on AZ, MW's is going strong. So I plead my readers to read it as well.**


	80. His Secret

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 80: His Secret**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Oops, it's a little delayed, sorry about that. Well, _Kaiser Dude_ and I are a little wound up with IRl, in my case it's a mix of reasons.**

**Thanks for the beta as usual~  
**

* * *

**..  
**

It wasn't that Keima wanted to hide the project from them; it was a little side-project that he had been working on by himself that he didn't want any of the other girls to see or get wind of.

That said, that wasn't the only side-project he had. The other one was a team-up together with the other demon that was working with him right now, Haqua.

The investigation into who had been the one who had restored the memories for the girls was still ongoing despite being placed on hiatus by Keima due to time constraints.

However, due to how Keima had managed to stabilize and schedule his schedule together with the girls, he had found some time to sieve through the footage by his own, looking for any familiar faces in the surveillance tapes.

Haqua hadn't been much help in that task but as she had done so much for him up till now, he let it slide.

There was no way that Elsi would be in the right state of mind to go through those tapes with him right now, so he was on his own.

Not that he had much time to go through them in the first place as the 'free-time' he had was being stretched thin in trying to maintain his status as the **Capturing God**.

Honestly, if he wasn't used to this kind of lifestyle, having 4 hours of sleep per day, he would have gotten sick.

Wait, he _had_ gotten sick so that was moot.

He was out of luck though as he wasn't able to pick out any figures that might fit that suspect list fully so far. Still, he had only gone through three days of surveillance tapes at 6x the speed so he might have just missed them.

'…'

Keima decided that he needed to re-evaluating the need and importance of doing this task together with his other obligations at the end of the week. The Mai-High Festival will take place in the following weekend and there really wasn't any time he could spend on this task if nothing was going to be gained out of this.

Frustrating, yes, but Keima knew that he should have expected this from the start. If it really was going to be _this_ easy in the first place, he and Haqua would have solved this case together in a jiffy and would not have gotten into this mess in the first place.

..

The other task that he was doing right now was more of a simple partnership between him and the Singing Wizards. Being one of the top two local based bands in the school, the entire district, and perhaps the entire region if they were not exaggerating gave him good bargaining power, which was something that he was eager to use.

Keima wasn't really a power-hungry person but there were times were it really was just too good to pass up, and if he could kill two birds with one stone, he thought it was a pretty good deal.

That explained why he was sitting with some members of the Singing Wizards together with their manager, Adachi.

_'Hmm, that's simple... we could probably get it done for you by the end of the next week...'_

_'That won't do, I need it by next Monday, whether we use this song or another would depend directly on that date.'_

_Firmly putting his request forward again, Keima looked as Adachi weighed in his own priorities as well as the potential risk versus rewards in his head._

_Keima couldn't read Adachi like he could read girls, but he did knpw that the manager and former band member of the Singing Wizards was a shrewd and clever businessman. He had to be as the Singing Wizards franchise, if he could call it that, had been going through within the region for the last couple of years._

_There wasn't a big break to allow them to break into the mainstream entertainment industry but it was still enough to make them mini-celebrities in Japan._

_In hindsight, he and some members of the Singing Wizards had the right to be just a little bit resentful and jealous of their success, considering how 'young' their band was, and they were literally in the same level as the Singing Wizards were in terms of popularity and fame._

_The fact that the girls weren't as good in playing, or perhaps in singing, then them must really hurt and Keima tried really hard not to rub it in further with his demands. Till this point at least, he was adamant on it as it was crucial to his plan._

_Any later and it wouldn't work, they had to get this done._

..

_'…'_

_Looking up at Keima again after studying what he had shown to them, Adachi smiled slightly when he noticed a non-disclosure form tucked below it before remarking._

_'… You've decided that we would accept beforehand, Katsuragi?'_

_Even if Keima had great bargaining powers and a sizeable hand, Kabuto Adachi wasn't a slouch either, and two thing that he really disliked were being set-up and being looked down upon._

_Katsuragi Keima was a talent, he really was to be have the cheek and ability to pressure him so like this on his own playing turf in his own territory._

_However, he had his own cards to play as well, and he called Keima's bluff by asking him whether he had any other candidates in mind to ask for help besides them._

_'After all, we're preparing for the Mai-High Festival ourselves... even if it's a request by you, the manager of the 2B Pencils, we have to know our own priorities... that's business 101, Katsuragi.'_

_Smiling as he watched Keima nod slowly in agreement, Adachi thought that he had gotten the measure of Keima when the __**Capturing God**__ once again shattered all perceptions about him by sighing and pulling the two sheets away from him._

_'That is true, if you are not even going to consider this proposition, I shouldn't be wasting your time and mine. I would have imagined that the Singing Wizards would be happy to accept this deal to partner with the 2B Pencils, but it seemed like I was mistaken... well, there could be other opportunities in the future I suppose...'_

_Was he threatening them in his own way? No, that was clearly a thinly-veiled threat and Adachi smiled grimly at how Keima had called his bluff as well without even pausing._

_He was definitely at a disadvantage here as the other boys with him got a little restless at that, discussing the possibilities themselves without any regard for him._

_It would be difficult to discipline them without losing 'face' and Adachi's eyes narrowed as Keima continued sorting out the paperwork in his file slowly, almost as if waiting for him to reconsider._

_'Still, it is to the interest of the both of us, am I not right to say that?'_

_Taking the bait was painful for Adachi, but from how the boys seemed delighted by that, he was properly hooked now and Katsuragi was probably going to reel him in slowly._

_'Yes, it is something that I am planning by myself. I myself have great admiration for you, Adachi-san and the Singing Wizards and I would like to repair the... misunderstandings between the two of us.'_

_He was going to use that card as well?! How despicable!_

_Kabuto Adachi knew the back of his palms were actually sweating from this negotiation and he sorely wished he had left the two younger boys back at their base while negotiating with this ruthless monster._

_'… I'm sure that those misunderstandings did not affect the relationship between the two bands, did they?'_

_He was pushing it, Adachi knew he was but there really was nothing he could do about it. The boy responsible for that tactless act had been disciplined, but as long as he remained in the band, he would be a liability if Katsuragi decided to pursue the issue._

_It was such a pity as he had been such a promising individual, and Adachi really didn't want him to leave or to be kicked out._

_'Not in the short-term at least...'_

_Being vague on the implications, Adachi gritted his teeth ever so slightly as Keima milked his advantage in front of him, unrelenting and ruthless. He really was a devil and a natural at all this as he didn't even sound or look bothered by his statements._

_Especially when Adachi would classify those careless feel-ups to be nothing more than an adolescent prank... well, maybe not that but it really wasn't serious. There really wasn't any use blowing up or raising this matter up before, but now when he needed something from them, that was a totally different matter altogether._

_Clutching at the only silver lining that he had left, that it was still a win-win situation for them. Adachi muttered that he and the Singing Wizards would do what they could and would submit whatever they could come up with by Monday._

_'I'm glad that you agreed to our request... I would want this to be kept under wraps... it wouldn't do for it to be leaked out... but if it does...'_

_The devil in a student's body smiled before leaving the negotiating table with the Singing Wizards._

* * *

..

It was not an easy task to hide this from the girls as he was only able to meet up with them during one of the breaks that he was given when Kanon was recording her songs. Another thing to note was that he doubted the Singing Wizards would be able to submit a working copy for him in time to set this new plan in motion.

There was another way to get the Weiss out of Elsi besides love, and quite honestly, it was going to be something that he had been stressing since the start of this mission. His card had been in plain sight all along, it was that none of them has realized it yet.

'… I can't save anyone of you without hurting the others, that's why... all of you have to save yourselves.'

Keima muttered softly before stretching his limbs to get the feeling back into his body and then returning to his work, looking over the comments and mails that the 2B Pencils website has been receiving in a single day.

* * *

..

'Good morning, Kanon.'

Nodding to Kanon, who walked into the studio flanked by Okada Tomoe, Keima offered a small smile in return for Kanon beaming at him in excitement as he handed her her schedule for the day.

Being an idol sure was tough; there wasn't a rest day for her even during the weekends, and as a result, Keima was accompanying her on a Sunday.

'Gomen-neh, Keima-kun... I know Keima-kun would rather rest at home today...'

Looking very apologetic as she seemed to remember about his commitments or perhaps she was just good at reading minds, Nakagawa Kanon blinked when she saw that her schedule for the day lasted only till 1pm at most, and he looked at Ms Okada for to reaffirm her schedule.

Kanon was not a workaholic, but she has been in the entertainment industry for at least a full year and she was used working 24/7, 365 days a year. Even if she did get a few small breaks nearing and during her exam periods, the key word was 'exams' as those aren't considered breaks at all, they were enough to give her a small chance to 'rest'.

Even if she was able to get a day off, that day off would probably bite her in the back later on. Still, that was a sign that Kanon was still popular and it had to be a good thing to be busy.

If she wasn't, it would spell disaster for her career and Keima was sure that Kanon understood that simple logic.

'I rearranged your schedule for today to fit into next week's schedule. I do not understand why they would want you to visit their studio so many times when one visit would suffice. I've rearranged your shooting schedule for the first three days, Kanon, I hope you do not mind.'

Kanon did not mind at all, in fact, seeing her weekend free, a Sunday too, was a very, very rare occurrence. The last time she had a day like that was when she slipped away from work to unwind for the afternoon.

It had only resulted in a late night for Kanon, and she had swore to Ms Okada, her manager, that she would never do it ever again.

'Then, then, is your afternoon free, Keima-kun?'

Asking excitedly, Kanon's smile got even brighter when Keima sighed and told her that he didn't have plans but he did have paper-work to do.

'Ah, that's okay! I can spend the day at Keima-kun's home desho?'

If Keima could face-palm right now, he would really want to as he noticed that Okada Tomoe's hands were shaking quite visibly behind her, and he was very certain that someone amongst the staff had just dropped and shattered a glass.

'…'

Looking blankly at Kanon to hint that she had more or less announced to the entire staff that the two of them were going out together. Although he did not try to intentionally hide it from them, it was true that there was technically nothing for him to hide as well. Seeing that neither of them had actually accepted the other's feelings.

He phrased it this way for a reason as Keima had not directly or hinted that he would accept Kanon's feelings and as Keima had not given her any indication of his _own_ feelings, it was futile for Kanon to say that she had accepted his feelings in return.

So they were in a limbo without being a limbo... but if Kanon was happy with that...

'Katsuragi...'

If it wasn't obvious that Okada Tomoe was mad before, it was obvious now when Kanon asked if she could cook for him like the last time.

'If you dare touch Kanon in any inappropriate places. Protege or not... I will -'

Instead of verbally explaining what she would do to him, Okada Tomoe seemed to find it more satisfying and graphic to illustrate physically, literally as she mimed a very convincing act of strangling, choking and torturing with her two hands and the liberal abuse of her high heels.

It would be scary if Okada Tomoe hadn't been so out-of-character with her elaborated actions that Kanon giggled while telling her that Keima wouldn't do that.

'Keima-kun is a gentleman! I know that he won't do that to me or anyone else~'

Although Keima felt that It was nice to have so much faith on him, that particular line was just a precursor to another more dangerous and easily misunderstood line.

'Though I wish he would even consider that...'

Looking at him with a very demure, embarrassed and shy smile, Nakagawa Kanon's statement was enough to cause the entire studio to come to a screeching halt. No one could or would say anything as all eyes were on Katsuragi Keima and the top idol of japan smiling back at the boy.

'I'm a man after all.'

Keima's remark was enough to speed up time as all of the male staff was surrounding him before his eyes could register it happening while the females were all crowded around Kanon, pleading and imploring Kanon to reconsider or at the very least, abstain.

'Would you rather I admit than I'm gay?'

Smirking in reply as he returned back to his work, going through the mails in the Kanon fanclub while Kanon just pouted and said that was mean of him.

The ignored staff on the other hand, was torn between amusement at their interaction, exasperation at the panic that they had been put through as well as relief that they were probably playing around.

Probably... the only person that wasn't fully convinced was Okada Tomoe but Kanon's manager was still busy muttering about how she would castrate and disembowel Keima if he laid a hand on Kanon.

..

..

'But Kanon-chan, the two of you really would be good together.'

One of the assistants suddenly pointed out while Kanon was doing her makeup and that statement caused many heads to turn as the young assistant gushed while Kanon just smiled shyly at her comments.

'Although, Katsuragi-kun is very hard-working and very focused in his work, he always have Kanon-chan's affairs at heart at all times. He was the one who arranged and fought for that small break during lunch time for you, Kanon-chan.'

It was one of the first things that Keima had done when he was officially working under Okada Tomoe as an assistant manager for Kanon. It had caused quite a bit of resentment and unhappiness in the staff ranks as they had thought that Keima was throwing his weight around and of course, the usual disregard for a teenager/student's opinion.

Even if Keima had indeed won over some people with his passionate defence and speech about Kanon in his first trip here, there were plenty of them who were a bit sceptical about him and how far he really thought about Kanon.

It was universally accepted that it was extremely hard to marry work with passion, especially so as it was very difficult to be professional when one was working with one's lover.

That said, Keima had proved that he was an individual who could do just that within a short span of time, and soon he was wowing and winning over a large and significant amount of people in the staff as well.

This particular assistant, whose job was to maintain Kanon's image, outfit during her shoots, as well as her interviews was amongst them.

'Please... you're embarrassing me...'

Unable to hide the smile on her face, Kanon looked at the mirror while trying to catch a glimpse of Keima but to her disappointment, Keima had just stepped out of the office, probably to pick up some other things.

'Katsuragi-kun has talent, Kanon-chan! I'm sure that he would be able to stand beside you officially soon! That's what he said he wanted to do, right?'

Reminding Kanon of his wish, to fight and earn his way to be beside her, Kanon felt a part of her settle down again and she smiled beautifully back at the assistant, who she decided would be a permanent staff while telling her that she hoped so too.

'… With Keima-kun, beside him... I'm sure that the two of us would be very happy together...'

Smiling wistfully and imagining a future for the two of them, together and side by side, Nakagawa Kanon settled down just a little bit more even as Keima prayed that it would be enough.

* * *

**Author's Notes: It's a _little_ late to admit this. But it's really dragging alot. Whoopsies.**


	81. Final Arc

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 81: Final Arc**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Sorry for the Slight delay! But thank you, _Kaiser Dude_, for your beta edit as always!**

* * *

**..  
**

..

So it was time and it had came down to this. Looking back at what all of them had gone through together, Keima was surprised that he had gone on so far on a near-perfect run, all things considered.

Close calls galore, shamelessly begging and flaunting what he had on hand was per the norm for him now, and as the **Capturing God**, he knew that everything came down to tomorrow.

The last night before the Mai-High festival kicks off tomorrow, and as the main concert was only going to be held on a Sunday, tomorrow was probably the time where all of the girls would want him to accompany them around the festival, meaning it was going to be a fruitless day for work.

What made it doubly difficult was that Kanon too openly wished for Keima to do the same with her after her schedule. Despite his concern for her stacking her scheduler in a way that made some free time for him, Kanon was adamant at that point.

No point worrying about it now though, and Keima pushed his notes to the side before looking over to the side, where Elsi was dozing off on his bed.

The past week had been tough both on him as well as Elsi, the younger demon, pushing herself to get better and to keep at pace with the other girls, who were obviously better than her.

With their outfit and songs chosen, Keima declared that all they needed to do was to just perform and enjoying doing it in the process. This was echoed with the rest of the 2B Pencils as it was what Chihiro wanted as well.

It fell on deaf ears on Elsi though as she wanted so badly to impress him. She wasn't cured, there was no doubt that the Weiss was still active but merely dormant, suppressed by Elsi's own consciousness or perhaps her duty as the Weiss Capturing Squad member.

Whatever the reason, Keima hadn't pushed Elsi away when she tried to be around him, he didn't encourage it but neither did he shy or shun her away as well.

It was something that worked for the both of them, thankfully and Keima had taken to tucking Elsi into his bed every single night as she practiced her strumming while preparing tea for the both of them.

Another thing to be thankful about was how the other girls didn't seem to mind him working with Kanon, and they were in fact in favor of it for the most part.

Perhaps they did that to get him of their back while they finished their first original song?

The song was composed and written up in time after all, and while telling Keima to include that song inside their programme as well, the 2B Pencils had declared their intent to be a performing group instead of a club after all.

..

_'We... well, more than one of us just want it to be just the few of us. It's something that we didn't think about, but something that I think... we think, that we would actually take for granted if we allowed just anyone to join us.'_

_Looking thoughtful as all of the girls sat around and told Keima what they thought of the situation._

_'I mean, I've looked at some of the email applications sent to us... and I don't know... they just... seem to like us for our music. That's good and all... I'm happy that we have an audience... but I just... don't want that audience to be part of us... part of the 2B Pencils.'_

_Frowning as she wondered if she had explained herself clearly enough, Chihiro breathed easier when Keima said that she did._

_'Do all of you feel the same way?'_

_Keima's question was posed quickly after coming to terms with their request and reasoning, well, Chihiro's anyway. It was the result like he had planned and carefully nurtured till this moment and it was turning out exactly the way he wanted it to be like._

_'I do.'_

_Ayumi answered without hesitation, and this made Elsi nod her head slowly as well. Only Miyako wasn't too convinced as she made her own opinion clear to all of them._

_'All of us cherish the time we spent here together... we like each other and I for one, really enjoy the time, passion and energy that all of us have and possess when we are practicing, learning and performing... Oh gods, I'm turning into a mini-Katsuragi...'_

_Pausing halfway to crack a joke, it did create the intended effect as the other girls smiled at Miyako while Keima simply smirked a little at Miyako._

_'Stop smirking at me, Katsuragi-kun, this is all your doing and it's your fault. But I don't blame you for it... honestly, I couldn't imagine how we would be like if you didn't come in...'_

_Thinking back contemplatively at how their first performance was like, Miyako grimaced slightly, and so did some of the other girls, especially Chihiro, who had improved leaps and bounds._

_'So... I would like to ask you something, Katsuragi-kun.'_

_Miyako spoke softly, firmly and sternly, making all of the rest look at her in surprise._

_'The 2B Pencils, we... as a band, have we reached your expectations and vision of us as a band? You taught us a lot, many of the things that we couldn't do at that time... you were the one that crafted and guided us to be who we are now... I wouldn't be calling it a stretch to say that without you, the 2B Pencils would be a totally different band...'_

_Taking a deep breath before muttering that she was really becoming like Katsuragi, wasn't she? Terada Miyako, the enigma as well as the most original 'normal' girl asked the __**Capturing God**__ plainly._

_'You made this happen, Katsuragi-kun. So could you give us an answer whether you'll see it through till the end? This isn't the end of our journey, Katsuragi-kun, this is the beginning and all beginnings... come once in a life time.'_

_It was a good speech, a great speech even by Terada Miyako and it was obvious that she had scripted it out for some time by herself. Even if she was alone in doing so, she was simply speaking out on behalf of the other girls, who looked extremely awkward but determined nonetheless to hear his answer._

_'After the concert. I'll decided after then.'_

_His answer came swiftly as if he had decided before that it would be so and Terada Miyako sighed before nodding._

_'Not that I expected an answer so quickly, Katsuragi-kun, but I can wait for that...'_

_'So, you're in support of the 2B Pencils being registered under a Performance Group instead? We might lose the club-room.'_

_Keima managed a small smile even as the other girls shrugged and said that it doesn't matter as all of them were together._

_'We're the 2B Pencils, Keima-kun~ Just like how you told us to try and think about.'_

_'All for one and one for all, neh?'_

_'A sisterhood! That's what Kami-Onii-sama said so!'_

_'Well, if Elsi says so then I guess...'_

* * *

..

..

The pieces were all in place, the battle lines drawn and the final stretch was in hand.

That was what Katsuragi Keima believed in, and despite the nagging feeling that he should, he really should figure out the instigator behind all this. His priority, above everything else, was to safeguard the girls that had been with him, accepted him for so long.

'The ending is in sight, finally... I can see many endings... but it all depends on what happen then, at that point of time, regardless of whatever tries to stop them now... it is too late for them to interfere.'

It would be futile for the **real** to interfere, this Keima knew and accepted and most importantly... he dreaded it as Murphy's law had the habit of getting in his way more often than not.

The points were maxed, hints were dropped more often than not, and all his promises would come down to the next two days.

'And so it begins.'

* * *

..

'Keima-kun!'

Greeting and falling in step beside him, Takahara Ayumi smiled as she relished the chance to walk with him today. It wasn't on accident, she wanted to do so and had planned out exactly where she was supposed to be waiting to make it look accidental.

It would have worked too, if Keima didn't have Haqua tag all of the girls to find out where they were.

Still, Keima didn't discourage her as it was obvious that she had done a tremendous amount of planning and preparation to do all that to make it seem natural.

Haqua was a common and normal company for their walk to school nowadays, with Elsi being a norm and a guaranteed figure beside him.

'Are you excited about today?'

'Yes, I do hope that Keima-kun could come with me... or with us, around the festival, if it's okay.'

She smiled hopefully, not even realizing or perhaps just taking the direct approach in asking Keima. The **Capturing God** liked direct, he thrived in it as it would mean less deception, a preferred thing as misinformation or a lack of it could change everything.

But like he said, he would live or die in the festival, nothing that he did right or wrong could change the ending that he had nurtured up till now.

'It'll be nice to relax for a change.'

Giving an answer in the affirmative, Keima watched as Ayumi blushed and said that it would be better if they went alone.

'But only if Keima-kun wants to! After all...'

Looking meaningfully at the other two girls, who just gave space almost immediately. Well, Haqua pulled a confused Elsi back as she just didn't or refused to read the mood that was going on with Keima and Ayumi.

'I still haven't given you a reply yet, haven't I?'

He answered smoothly and somehow, it didn't seem as insincere as Ayumi believed it would be as he looked at Ayumi straight in the eye, unflinching and firm and this made her heartbeat go faster just by those few words.

'You remembered, Keima-kun... I was worried that you'll forget, seeing that you have Kanon-chan with you.'

Ah, there was the slight jealousy streak that Ayumi had, but it wouldn't affect the ending at all, not if Keima had his way with it.

'I said it was complicated, didn't I? That's why I said to wait after the concert... Ayumi.'

He looked like he would have reached out to touch Ayumi, certainly causing the girl's legs to wobble and weaken if not for another voice who managed to penetrate the terrific mood they had by calling their names.

'Ayumi! Katsuragi!'

'C-Chihiro!'

Sensing an opening there, Elsi greeted Chihiro as well, waving her over while Ayumi pouted and looked to the side in disappointment.

'And good morning to you too, Ayumi~ Getting cozy, aren't we?'

The ribbing by Chihiro made Ayumi blush though and she missed the look of displeasure on Chihiro's face that disappeared as quickly as it started.

'We should help out in class too! They are setting up a cafe, right?'

* * *

..

Looking around at year 2-B's classroom, which had been transformed into a cafe practically overnight, Keima and the 2B Pencils helped out in any way they can, well, the 2B Pencils only as Keima was too busy going through the menu with the girls of the class.

Yes, the girls of the class had actually asked him for help with the menu. The theme for the Cafe was a maid cafe, surprise surprise and although Keima was one to actually loathe the concept, he didn't like the _ideal_ being confused with the** real**, he was fine with helping in correcting some of the misconceptions that the girls and boys had.

Amusingly, or perhaps ironically, the girls were the one who came up with the idea as they really liked some of the maid costumes and wanted an excuse to wear it without being judged for their taste.

A mixture of conservative and fanservice, with exposed shoulders but long skirts, Keima could live with that, and was currently giving a lecture to the girls that was going to serve the customers who came in, telling them about how one could portray the idea and ideal of a perfect maid, in a cafe or outside of it.

Surprisingly, Keima's lecture was a great hit as his 'technical' lecture on how maids aren't all what those unwarranted stereotypes that appear in TV today were like made it possible for the girls to treat the maid cafe a little more normally.

It helped that it appealed to their feminist beliefs as well...

That was, to actually offer normal table service instead of trying to overdo it with some unnecessary company while dining and exaggerated vocal effects to make themselves more endearing.

And of course, to cut down on the 'fan-service', as Keima put it: '_If one is forced to change oneself, to shame oneself to meet the goals of others or in an objective that one has to reach, it is not being truthful to yourself. There are things that should not be sacrificed even to meet a greater goal. Be proud of yourself and what all of you have done so far in your planning and preparation and do what all of you want to do and not should do. This is a festival for the student as well as their friends, not for one to make it a miserable and embarrassing time.'_

If there was a day where his popularity sky-rocketed, it was then, and the class, especially the girls began to have a better and newer opinion of Keima.

..

'Neh, neh, Ayumi, when are you going to help out today too?'

'Ah... Ah, well...'

Looking awkwardly at the costume that she had been assigned to. The girls had drawn straws to see who would be on duty on those two days, and as the two of them were on another duty the second day, they were slotted to do their share today.

'Well... I was hoping to go out for a bit after lunch...'

Fidgeting while coming up with a reply, Chihiro interrupted by saying that she'll do Ayumi's shift for her then.

'Chi-Chihiro... you don't need to do that...'

'It's fine... your shift would be during lunch right? Just let me slip off a little earlier and we'll be good.'

Grinning and giving her a thumbs-up, Chihiro nodded as Ayumi smiled and thanked her for her help.

'No worries! Let's get this menu done, shall we?'

..

'Elly...you'll have to teach us how to serve tea the proper way!'

Elsi was the instructor for the maids and they were trying to pick up on how Elsi brewed her tea, which was delicious but she declared it to be a family secret.

'It's brewed with love~~ Just kidding!'

Giggling, Elsi took a long look at Keima before starting from the start, from preparing the hot-water as well as the tea-leaves step-by-step and getting the other girls to do the same.

'It's all about the love! Tea brewing is hard work, so it shouldn't be taken for granted!'

..

Miyako on the other hand was at the school's kitchen, helping out with the unpacking of the cakes and the desserts that all of them were going to serve.

'Ah... I wish we could prepare more foods though.'

Making that small wistful wish, Miyako winked when some of the other girls seemed surprised at that request.

'It's all about the presentation and how one sells the products, no?'

Explaining to them that although it might actually not be as delicious as home-cooked food, the statement that it was cooked by the maids would actually make them more popular and 'valuable' in a sense.

'Ah... I'm really rubbing off Katsuragi-kun... aren't I?'

Groaning unhappily, Terada Miyako blushed slightly when the girls, some of them who had attended Keima's lecture earlier, asked how he was like.

'He's... an amazing person when you ignore his negative traits.'

That comment made most of the girls giggle and laugh in reply as it was exactly that.

'But he's a very kind person... too kind, really.'

Miyako's follow-up statement confused the girls as she looked a little sad while saying it.

..

As Keima worked by himself, finishing the last touches of the 'gift' he had for the girls, his phone rang, it was Kanon and the **Capturing God** excused himself to the corridor.

'Keima-kun~'

Greeting him over the phone, Kanon told him that she would be in school during lunch time for the festival.

'Would it be okay if we meet up then?'

So it all began from here?

'Ayumi asked me to walk around with me around that time, Kanon.'

Delivering the statement to Kanon, the girl seemed shaken and confused that he would admit that out loud like that.

'O-Okay... but then...'

'Perhaps a little later, your schedule is free till the evening, no? I'll make this up to you.'

Hanging up before Kanon could reply, Keima sighed before looking behind him when Ayumi called him from behind.

'… That was Kanon-chan... right? You would only leave if you received her call.'

Ayumi's expression was unreadable, or just vague as she told Keima that he shouldn't have done that for her, especially since it was from Kanon.

'Kanon-chan is... well. She...'

'Don't be mistaken.'

Before she could say more, Keima cut her off by saying that he didn't want to break the promises he made.

'...That. Was just unfair, Keima-kun...'

Pouting but seemingly relieved, Ayumi gave into his 'excuse' and reason for ignoring Kanon. She would never admit it but she had very serious doubts that Keima would accept her but gradually the doubts were erased from his attention to him.

It would hurt for him to be taken by Kanon, but if that happened... she'll just have to take today as the last day she could spend time with him!

What was the saying, to treat every one day as one's last? That was a fitting thing to live by, especially when she was interested in a very very unique person.

'But thank you, Keima-kun... even if you're just being kind.'

And so it all begins and what's more, the **Capturing God's** day was just starting!

* * *

**Author's Notes: 81 Chapters.. Seriously? That's way too long.**


	82. Dates Galore

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 82: Dates Galore**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you _Kaiser Dude_ for doing this despite finals!**

* * *

**..  
**

..

'I really like festivals, don't you?'

Looking around at the sights and sounds even though the best sight of all was beside her, Takahara Ayumi knew that her spring has arrived if she was thinking such sappy thoughts like this. Letting loose a small sigh as she scratched her head, Ayumi looked to the side to see Keima looking back at her, not with a bored look but with an expecting looking.

That really caused the blush to form on her face and Ayumi struggled to continue as Keima stared at her.

'Everything... reminds me of when I was younger...'

Having run out of conversational subjects, not like she had any for Keima anyway, Ayumi felt more frustrated when she remembered that she didn't really have anything in common with Ayumi.

Even if it was true that opposites attract, and similar people can relate well to each other, Ayumi felt that it was difficult to understand Keima. Not for a lack of trying though, it was that Keima seemed to be married to his work or his games.

What made it even more difficult was how Ayumi couldn't see anyway for all that to end, not in the near future at least if she could read his intentions right.

'You went to festivals like this when you were younger?'

Ayumi reacted to Keima's words and she whirled around to look at him in surprise. It was a topic that she had thrown up at the end in desperation, a last ditch attempt to get a conversation going between the two of them and it had worked!

'Mm mm, I did! When I was in junior high I really liked to participate in the school festival! But I didn't have much time as I was in the track and field club too, so I could only go in the evening... most of the stalls were closed then but I still had fun with my friends~'

Smiling as she recalled the memory of the last school festival she was able to participate in, Ayumi blinked when Keima asked her about the festival the previous year. He had called in sick last year and so wasn't able to participate, and he nodded solemnly when Ayumi said that she didn't take part too.

'We were holding a play last year, I was playing the princess so I couldn't wander around at all... Keima-kun wasn't around last year too, weren't you?'

The first years were generally more enthusiastic about the school festival as compared to their seniors and Ayumi echoed that sentiment as she told him that he had missed lots.

'I know Keima-kun isn't close to the rest of the class then, but... maybe that would change this year? Many of us, the girls at least... really appreciated what you lectured us on earlier. Well, some of them were unhappy that you didn't tell us earlier but that's not really your fault. It's their fault for not asking... no?'

Ayumi herself didn't realize that she, like most of the girls that were in Keima's care, were taking after the **Capturing God** in very small little ways.

Miyako had started to adapt and to mimic how Keima made his decisions, trying to follow Keima's thought processes.

Chihiro was trying to be as empathetic but unflappable like Keima as she thought that would help her the most, seeing that she was the easiest to get waylaid and distracted by her own emotions.

Elsi was just, Elsi but she too was adapting to Keima, using his usual silence as her a weapon of her own, something that the other girls have not really paid much attention to at this point. More than simply a glue who held the girls together, Elsi had her own secrets and worries that she was withholding from the girls.

Haqua too was learning, but for her it was more of a theoretical sense as with everything so far, she was picking up on Keima's success and his 'winning formula' even if she knew that she could never use them herself. It did however, give her a much clearer and more favorable image of Keima though.

Ayumi, with the shedding of that Tsundere self that was much of her appeal, she has taken from Keima the simple logic of vocalizing the truth, emphasizing it at the right places and the right time.

As for Kanon, she was the exception as she didn't learn or adapt anything from Keima; she just grew with his assistance.

..

It was that exact strength that made itself shine as Keima nodded back as well, asking if he should have gone on about that topic longer? He was the **Capturing God,** and if the lost lambs really needed his advice, perhaps he should have told them more?

'I, don't really think so, Keima-kun. Keima-kun is knowledgeable, yes, but most of them won't understand what you are talking about... and it'll really be sad if they mistook you again, Keima-kun.'

Ayumi knew that he had the habit of shooting his mouth off when it comes to the subject of games, she liked that part of Keima too; his eyes sparkled and the way he had absolute faith in himself that what he was saying was right endeared himself to her.

It was another aspect of him that possibly was shown to the other girls in class when he had lectured them. Knowing that made Ayumi feel a little conflicted; she hadn't asked him whether it was fine that only they, the 2B Pencils, could appreciate him, but with that lecture earlier, she couldn't find the courage to ask him that again.

Ayumi didn't want to strain the friendship and relationship that the two of them had now, she was not a clingy girl like Kanon, she was above that as she had her pride!

'Why would they do that...'

Keima asked in passing, and that caused Ayumi to giggle and explain to him that although his lectures were informative and very new to everyone, even to her after all this time, they tend to end up referencing his games.

'Elsi might understand what you mean, Keima-kun. I think after all this time, all of us just got used to it... but to the others, they would be very disappointed if you did that.'

It was like ruining the ending of a great story and Ayumi was relieved to see Chihiro interrupting Keima when he was about to go off in tangent again, it seems that it wasn't just her that had eyes on Keima today.

'They should learn to appreciate the _ideal_ more, if they did, they might all promote to the ranks of heroine.'

'… I wouldn't want them to be that.'

Ayumi replied without thinking as she sighed and looked to the stalls again, hands at her wallet as she wondered what she should get today.

'How about some cotton candy?'

Asking suddenly as the two of them stopped by the stall, Ayumi thought for a moment before nodding.

'Mm! That'll be nice!'

This wasn't a date, it couldn't be... but she could just wish that it was, just for a little moment and for a little while.

* * *

..

'Thank you for walking with me, Keima-kun!'

Ayumi thanked him when the two of them were making their way back to their class and she really meant it. It probably was nothing much, he might have wanted to keep an eye on her as she was a famous individual in the school right now as her manager.

He might even felt that it was his duty to do so, seeing what had happened to her the last time with the Singing Wizards. Perhaps she was lucky in overreacting then? But wounds were still wounds and scars never really fade away. Just thinking about what had happened then was enough to make her shiver a little.

'You're shaking.'

Keima observed and asked her what was wrong at the same time, and this made Ayumi wonder if that was really the case.

That it was duty more than a personal obligation to accompany her for a walk around the festival grounds. Was it just wishful thinking on her part to think that he wanted to do so? That he had rejected Kanon to go with her? It was... wasn't it?

'I-It's nothing, thank you for walking with me, Keima-kun... really, I didn't think I would be able to enjoy the festival like I did... though I think I had too much to eat...'

Smiling a little guiltily as Keima looked down at her waist, causing a full blush to appear on her face as she spun around again, Takahara Ayumi was glad she did, that at Keima said that he enjoyed himself as well.

'It's not my first time being at a festival. But it is the first time that I did enjoy myself.'

Her heartbeat quickening and knowing that all the blood was rushing to her face, Ayumi told him that it was the same for her as well.

'M-Maybe we can walk around again another time! Like... like next year! It'll be fine right, Keima-kun...'

Hurrying towards their class, Ayumi reached out to grab Keima's hands without thinking and she pulled him forward to walk behind her a little as she didn't want him to see her face.

'Next year... huh?'

She didn't hear him mutter the question but did it really matter at all?

* * *

..

'Did you have fun?'

Teasing her as she returned to her station, Chihiro smiled at her friend even as Ayumi picked up a serving tray and just ignored her. With her face as red as a cherry when she burst into the changing room by herself, Chihiro knew that she did and in the same time, felt her hopes sank just a little.

'You should ask Keima-kun... to walk with you too, Chihiro...'

Asking out of the blue as she took over Chihiro's duties over the make-shift kitchen, Ayumi gave her a small nudge as Chihiro stuttered and blushed as well.

'It's his duty to do so as the manager, neh?'

Winking at the flabbergasted girl, Ayumi went back to doing what she had to do even if she asked herself whether she did the right thing by helping Chihiro.

Chihiro was her friend, a very good friend with all the memories that all of them had shared over the past few weeks. Had it really been just a little over 3 weeks, it would've felt like an eternity really...

Each day with each other, Ayumi didn't think that she would have such great friends like them. Yes, perhaps Chihiro's and Elsi's antics were silly and Haqua was a little too strict for her liking, but she really liked all of them.

'… So it isn't wrong.'

To help her friend, to nudge them forward just a little as Ayumi felt that it would be okay, for she really, truly wished all of her friends to be happy and for _him_ to be happy.

If it's not her who could do that, if it's one of her friends... maybe, that'll be fine.

That painful feeling inside subsided just a little when she thought of that and Ayumi smiled, albeit a little bitterly as she stared at the head of lettuce in front of her waiting to be chopped and prepared.

'… Might as well...'

On that day, Takahara Ayumi managed a personal best in demolis-, no, in preparing lettuce for the sandwiches.

* * *

..

'It has been a while, Katsuragi-kun.'

It was an unfamiliar voice, scratch that, it was a familiar voice with a not-familiar face. To be exact, it was the face of a twin that he had not seen for a while.

Yoshino Ikumi, the twin sister of Yoshino Asami that was studying in another school and she greeted him cheerfully outside of the classroom while he pondered over how he was going to appease Kanon later on.

'Yoshino... Ikumi?'

It had been a long time since this mess started but he recalled that he was concerned that other parties, in particular people who he had interacted with during the 'captures' had their memories returned to them.

Still, Yoshino Ikumi greeting him wasn't as unexpected as it seemed to be for Yoshino Ikumi was introduced to him by her sister, Yoshino Asami, one of the captured girls during her capture.

The two of them hadn't been close, being merely passing acquaintances and at best friends of her sister, but Yoshino Ikumi was unlike her sister. She was a very friendly individual who had a very large circle of friends and were great in making friends in general as well. It seemed that despite his eccentricity, she was quite happy or at least obliging enough to view Keima as a friend.

'Mm! Amazing, you recognized me!'

It wasn't that hard seeing that Ikumi was wearing another school's uniform and had her hair tied up in the opposite end of Asami; it wasn't always like that though, and the two of them were called twins for a reason as it was almost impossible to recognize the two of them from each other if they stood together.

'I'm looking for Asami, is she here?'

Trying to peer through the windows to look for her sister, Keima asked her why not just go in as a customer.

'I want to surprise her! Asami in a maid outfit! I have to see it for myself.'

Ikumi knew full well how shy her sister was, and in retrospect of that, there was no way that she would be willing to be in full view of the paying guests in the classroom. Still, Ikumi was right in saying that Asami was wearing a maid outfit like all of the girls in class, as she had conceded that point when confronted by all of the girls in class.

'She's in the preparation area behind the screen.'

Keima offered to get her off his back, but unfortunately it wasn't enough as Ikumi frowned and asked why he wasn't helping out as well. When Keima didn't reply, Ikumi upped the ante by saying that she thought Keima would look good in the serving attendant's outfit.

Notice the words, 'serving attender', the boys too had been adamant in saying that those were not 'butler' outfits and Keima agreed, a real butler's outfit was much more complicated than that.

'I agree, Asami!'

Looking to the side to see the person who had rudely interrupted their conversation, Keima nodded in greeting to Chihiro before coughing and introducing Ikumi to her.

'This isn't Yoshino Asami, Chihiro, this is Yoshino Ikumi, her twin sister.'

'Ah! I see, that's why I thought it was weird that Asami changed into another school uniform, perhaps a punishment game or something.'

Clapping her hands together in understanding, Chihiro endured a sharp stare from Keima even as Ikumi laughed and asked who she was.

'Are you a friend of my sister's?'

'Kosaka Chihiro, I'm in the same class as Asami. We didn't know she had a twin sister though...'

Looking at Keima suspiciously, Chihiro nodded when Ikumi explained that they had met before.

'Wait a minute... Kosaka... Chihiro... you're _the_, Kosaka Chihiro then? You know, one of the 2B Pencils?'

It took a moment but it seemed that the name had finally clicked in Ikumi's mind and exclaimed while Chihiro started and then nodded her head nervously. In Keima's eyes, that was a major improvement and he was satisfied when he saw the look of anticipating in Chihiro's eyes.

There was no saying what Ikumi would do or ask from Chihiro, it was probably a bad habit of Keima's that he had passed along to Chihiro but there was no harm in being just a little suspicious and sceptical of others, especially with the reputation of the 2B Pencils on the line in every moment.

'Awesome! I knew that Asami-chan said that the 2B Pencils were in her class, but I didn't think that I would be able to see one of them in person! Would you be performing tomorrow or today then?'

As Ikumi started peppering her with questions, Keima looked to the side to see more people whispering and discussing amongst themselves about Chihiro. Of course only the visitors were interested but with the large crowd that had gathered for the Mai-High festival, there was more than enough people for him to feel worried.

'… We have to go, now.'

Cutting into the conversation suddenly as he saw some girls approaching with notepads out and Chihiro being too distracted by Ikumi to notice, Keima grabbed her hand and took off quickly, causing Ikumi and Chihiro to start in surprise.

'E-Eh, wait a minute! Katsuragi-san... oh wait, you're the man-'

Ikumi's voice didn't register to the two retreating figures as they dodged down the stairs to avoid the possible pursuers.

* * *

..

'Haaa... T-Thanks... Katsuragi...'

Panting as the two of them walked into one of the classrooms to avoid being followed, Chihiro realized that the two of them were holding hands and she quickly shrugged his hands off while Keima had the decency to look away and scratch his head in reply.

'That was close... I did not expect your name to garner that much of a response.'

Unsure whether to feel insulted or to feel relieved at his comments, Chihiro nodded as she agreed with him. She felt the hair stand at the back of her head when she heard they calling her name. It wasn't that it was bad, it was that feeling of dread that made her hightail it out of there.

She had thought that being at the center of attention would be nice for a change but she didn't really like what she had been exposed to even now.

The people that liked her were likeable enough, but when they all came together they were more intimidating than flattering, especially when the girl fans and the boy fans had conflicting opinions of them and her in general.

Granted, Chihiro wasn't the most popular of the 2B Pencils, saddening as it might be, the honor would definitely be given to Ayumi and Elsi, and this made her feel a little conflicted when they would ask her to get _their_ signatures for them.

Still, Chihiro made sure to never show what she felt on her face, something that she learned from Keima and which she applied very well indeed.

'Ah well, the 2B Pencils are famous and all... it's thanks to you though.'

Praising Keima openly, which was by itself an uncommon occurrence, Chihiro blinked when Keima said that it was thanks to her as well.

'You're indisputably the face of the 2B Pencils, Chihiro, I'm just the manager.'

Closing one eye and seemingly satisfied just with that, Keima tilted his head when Chihiro started to say something, only for her to clam up when another voice interrupted the two of them.

'We are holding a photography booth here, would you two like to try?'

* * *

**Author's Notes: Before anyone screams FILLER, I would want to remind everyone that in MW's, Ayumi and Chihiro asked a similar question!**


	83. A Side Trip

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 83: A Side Trip**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: I was behind here and no, there won't be any X'mas special chapter or update, still in the middle of my block.**

**Thank you, _Kaiser dude_ for the excellent beta and support as always.  
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**..  
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Kosaka Chihiro, part of class 2B and currently on her break, looked at the boy beside her before, and swallowed. The boy in question was Katsuragi Keima, her crush that she had confessed to before. Right now she was still waiting for his reply but she knew that any reply would be better than no reply at all due to the complexity of the relationship web that Keima was involved in.

As a fan of many serial dramas, both local and foreign, Chihiro enjoyed the romantic ties and dreams of all those shows. Even if she was at a level where she could, more or less, guess the plot twists of each show, Chihiro enjoyed all of it anyway~

'...'

Even so, Chihiro was too embarrassed to answer the bemused student as she stared at Keima, and Chihiro was standing in front of their classroom too!

'Ano, Miss, Mister would you?'

Even as she repeated the question, Chihiro just looked away while casting side long glances at Keima. Chihiro was well known for being a very straightforward and brave individual, it was those characteristics that made her very popular amongst the female student population, especially the younger ones, much to her chagrin actually.

Seeing her like this was akin to reminding all of them that Chihiro was a girl too, _even_ though it _has_ been repeated before in the past. Chihiro was a little unhappy about how the girls liked _her_ but she would take whatever fame she could at this point.

It beats her being the least popular of all the 2B Pencils, that was sure.

'Would you want to?'

It was Keima who broke the silence as he looked at their fellow student with a curious smile, it shouldn't have taken him a lot of courage to speak cordially to another individual but Chihiro saw him shaking nonetheless.

Keima was the manager of the 2B Pencils so it doesn't make sense for him to be afraid after all.

'Would you please give us a moment?'

With Chihiro grabbing his hand and leading him away, Chihiro was unaware of the small smile on the other student as she watched them leave.

..

'What's wrong, Katsuragi? You were shaking earlier.'

'I am implored.'

'Huh.'

Time stood still as Chihiro stared at Keima while he commented on how unprofessional the photo studio was and how the outfits were displayed. Even if he might be constantly complaining how _real__life_ wasn't suited for him, did he have interest in it nonetheless?

'Anyway, it has nothing to do with you, right? So why are you worrying about it... it's not like it has anything to do with your games...'

Chihiro tuned off most of Keima's rant and focused on the important question and this led to Keima nodding and crossing his arms unhappily.

'They have _her_ outfit and _their _school uniform in the display sets.'

For a moment Chihiro felt lost and upset at how he would actually recognize a girl's clothes. In fact, she was _this_ close in breaking away and running off if not for the fact that she knew guys, especially Keima, couldn't do that to save their lives.

Call her stereotypical, and of course, call her wrong on many points when she asked Keima what he meant.

'Oh, it's a school uniform from XXX and the outfit for XXX.'

'And those are from your games... huh?'

'Of course, they are popular characters. I can't believe how inaccurate they are with them.'

With Keima looking upset and angry, it was logical for him to be surprised when Chihiro broke out laughing, and she laughed so hard that she had to grab Keima's shoulders to stop her from hurting herself.

'Chihiro?'

'No, I'm... I shouldn't be surprised that Katsuragi can recognize the uniforms from all the games you play.'

Closing one eye and breaking off from Keima, Chihiro asked whether Keima could remember the clothes they were supposed to wear later on and was happy to hear that he did.

'Though I do recommend you to not wear your necklace... that accessory might be a little provocative.'

'You think so? I'll change on then. Anyway, let's take a photo, Katsuragi!'

Despite his protests, Chihiro didn't care about what he thought and pulled him to the classroom.

'We will! Where can we change?'

* * *

..

'Ah, I had lots of fun.'

Chihiro declared as the two of them left the classroom half an hour, it wasn't just about the photos that they had taken even if they played a huge part.

It was how the two of them had helped each other dress that made Chihiro smile back in fondness.

Keima himself wasn't that eager to dress up, and even when he did, he didn't seem bothered by how he looked.

That and many factors had resulted in Chihiro removing his glasses. What had greeted her almost made her knees weak and it did make some of the other girls that were helping out give small squeals at his looks.

He looked more than halfway decent with his glasses off. No, he looked extremely cute without his glasses on if he would take the time to smile at her. Which he totally did, accidentally of course.

'Did you now?'

Keima didn't look too upset at the situation nor did he look too bothered either. That was enough to ease the slight guilt that she felt at dragging him into accompanying her for the entire duration.

They had taken a lot of photos in different outfits, and Chihiro knew that she would cherish those photographs even as the two of them walked back towards their class.

'I did, though I think we spent more time there than I thought.'

As Chihiro wistfully bit her own finger in contemplation, Keima asked her whether she enjoyed herself earlier. It was a question that Keima seemed to want to know the answer to as he stopped behind her and waited till she turned to face him. Chihiro didn't know why he was asking that but she tried to humor him by tilting her head and said that she did.

'Though I'm not sure why you must ask that. If I didn't enjoy myself, I wouldn't have wanted to stay as long as I did, right?'

'Because this isn't just about making memories, Chihiro.'

Keima's words made Chihiro flinch a little before she raised her eyebrow at him. Did he read her mind? She wasn't giving up and there was no way she could till she get an answer from Keima.

'I'm not _just_ making memories, I'm creating memories, Katsuragi... Good lord, did I just say that out loud...'

Even as Chihiro facepalmed at making such a weak line and subsequently giggled to herself, Keima found himself looking at the leader of the 2B Pencils with a strange look on his face.

'Are you giving up, Chihiro?'

His question came softly and Chihiro nearly missed it if not for the solemn look in his eyes. There was no doubt that Chihiro was a little shaken earlier as she was rendering assistance to Ayumi willingly by herself.

They were friends, but does friendship really allow for such a big concession on her part?

Keima personally didn't believe so; humans did always think of their own interests first and foremost. To see them willingly give up something they like to others wasn't self-sacrificial in his view. They had simply given up the fight and was serving the main dish to the victors.

Keima didn't want to see that as it... was below his opinion of Chihiro.

'Ara... why is Keima interested in that?'

Sharing a look that reminded him of Terada Miyako at her most scheming, Chihiro smiled at Keima even as the **Capturing God** walked till he was beside her.

'As I have an interest in you, that part would not change no matter what my decision is. I would want you to know that, Chihiro.'

To Chihiro, and to Keima, that was a very big honor that was awarded to few girls. This was especially so to the 'captured' girls as that meant that he acknowledged their uniqueness or skill in an area that he was willing to concede to them.

For Chihiro, the 'normal' girl had the most character of all the 'captures' and even amongst the 2B Pencils as well.

One may say that Chihiro was a palette full of colors as she has an amazing depth when it comes to her character even if some might seem a little cliche.

But that was how she was, and it was what Keima accepted and acknowledged of her, her character was more than skin-deep after all.

'That is flattering, Katsuragi.'

Chihiro managed to keep a straight face but what made the icing on the cake was how Chihiro smiled at him. The acknowledgement was enough for her and she told Keima that by saying that it really meant very much to her.

'I always think that I was in yours and Ayumi's way, but I learned a lot from Keima and everyone else. I'm the leader of the 2B Pencils neh? So... having you acknowledge that for me in front of everyone else... is very important to me.'

With her own speech down, Chihiro grinned at Keima before telling him that the two of them would be late if they don't get back to class soon. Even if Keima wasn't given a specific role, he had been hanging out in the back-end to teach the girls on the proper way to prepare tea.

'I'm sorry, I have someone else to meet.'

'Is that so? Kanon-chan then?'

Even as Chihiro hit the nail on the head with her guess, Keima watched as the 'normal' girl said her goodbyes before wishing him well. Even if the girls themselves were unsure how and what they should do in the situation to make it less uneasy, they were at least accepting of the truth without any trace of denial. They might dislike the idea, but they would not deny it.

'Mm ... With Kanon.'

The confirmation was what Chihiro needed and she took her leave even as Keima pulled out his phone to dial Kanon's number.

* * *

..

..

'Mou...'

With Kanon in a particular bad mood, she had been left stuck and waiting for Keima in Okada Tomoe's car till Keima called. Dashing out to find him, Kanon had ended up retreating and running from some of her overzealous fans till encountering Keima.

The two of them had then subsequently done a remake of the earlier scene with Chihiro and had sprinted down corridors, up stairs before taking refuge in the 2B Pencils club room.

It wasn't the best place to hide the two of them, especially considering the official rivalry between the two groups but Keima had been devoid of options.

Unlike Chihiro, the fans of Kanon had included some of the guests as well and they barely made it into the room before slamming the door shut.

'Haaah...'

Panting for quite bit, Keima eventually recovered to see Kanon in much better state than him and was holding his hand in worry before Keima reassured Kanon that he was fine.

'Would you like a seat?'

Offering her one, Keima made Kanon sit nearest the other exit while he busied himself with preparing tea.

'Until we can find a way to disguise you... It's probably not a good thing to walk outside.'

Even as he prepared the tea, Keima could hear the sounds of people asking where Kanon was and he thanked the stars that their clubroom was deemed as private and refused entry to anyone else.

Keima was surprised at Kanon's silence and he turned to see her looking around the room curiously. The clubroom was more or less empty due to how all of them had moved the girl's instruments and equipment backstage for the stage-hands to handle. What's left were the usual seats, tables and essentials that the girls had brought in to make it more comfortable for them.

Thankfully they hadn't gone too overboard and there was sparsely any extra furniture or furnishings that might inconvenience the school.

'What's wrong Kanon?'

'Ah, Ah no... I'm just a little curious about the place Keima-kun spends his day in.'

'Even if you say that... I'm here only here after school.'

Keima was a little anxious to correct Kanon as he didn't want Kanon to associate this place with him, especially so as she might mistakenly think this was a little retreat for him and the 2B Pencils.

But it seemed that Keima didn't need to worry about that as Kanon simply nodded in reply.

'I know, but I wanted to see this place as well... My rivals, I can call them that can't I? The 2B Pencils... Chihiro-chan and everyone else, they...'

Keima knew what she was trying to say but the value of her _not_ saying it was worth more to Keima as it meant that even she found it hard to view the other girls as just rivals.

Emotions and feelings were heavily invested into all of the girls and he wanted all of them to view each other as more than just rivals. All of them were girls who had their own reason, good reasons too, to fall in love and to be with Keima.

There was going to be a winner and a loser in this 'competition' and Keima's role was to make it as hard as possible for the girls themselves to out-rightly declare themselves as the winner.

Not that there would be none, there would be one, but he wanted the winner to remember and to sympathize with the losers, no matter who they were.

A simple plan, but one that needed all of Keima's powers as the capturing god to pull off.

..

'They... like you too, Keima-kun.'

Kanon said the unspoken lines that Keima wanted her to. The girls themselves might never admit it, they shouldn't admit it as it would cause cracks in their relationships.

Hence they couldn't and shouldn't. That was an unspoken agreement within all of them, even if all of them might have sensed it by now. Kanon was however, different and she had the right to ask Keima that.

She alone has the right to ask for an answer from Keima. As in this case, she was the heroine, this was her route, and it was also the right time for her to ask him this.

No matter his answer, it was to her advantage to know, and for her decision to make whatever he decided to answer with.

That was the right of the _heroine_.

'Do you know that? All of them, Ayumi-chan, Chihiro-chan, Terada-san and Haqua-san... all four of them like you.'

Elsi was excluded from the list and Keima felt a little worried for that if Elsi overheard her there was no reason for Elsi _not_ to feel upset at Kanon. The situation and relationship between the two of them were as bad as it could be, and if it were to disintegrate further...

'I know. I know that, Kanon.'

'... So what do you feel about them, Keima-kun? I could see so many little parts of you in them, Keima-kun. From the small and the big things that they do now as compared from before... It must be nice, to be able to spend so much time with you.'

With Kanon biting her lip and looking to the side unhappily, she only felt a little better when Keima told her that he has been by her side.

'I've made my choice... I just didn't want to tell them after this.'

'... Because you promised them?'

'I promised them, Kanon. I always keep my promises.'

'... Even if you never made me any...'

'As I'm not worthy of doing that yet, Kanon.'

Kanon sighed after Keima admitted that, it wasn't an excuse on the **Capturing God**'s part, it was the truth.

Compared to her entourage and party that worked with her, Keima was definitely not someone that can answer for Kanon just yet.

But he was learning, and learning at a frightening pace at that. There was no doubt that Keima would, in a few months perhaps, be able to take on a really important role at Kanon's side.

That was why Keima was working so hard for them and Kanon could see that, no, she could recognize that.

And that was why Kanon could tolerate all of that... at least, till now.

After seeing all this, all of the 2B Pencils' as well as their clubhouse, she was getting anxious again.

'… Tell them after this, Keima-kun. Please...'

Kanon croaked out, emotion deeply embedded in her voice as she begged Keima to do that.

It wasn't enough for her to know that Keima had chosen her, she wanted the other girls to know as well.

This time it wasn't about the protective and jealousy streak that Kanon had. Kanon was insecure yes, but to Kanon, it hurt more to have the girls continue to be with him.

Her pride was on the line too, and with all that put together, it was a miracle that Kanon had held on for so long.

'Please, Keima-kun... if you really... like me, no, if you love me... you wouldn't let me see them... anyone of them so close to you. I know, I KNOW you made a promise... but it hurts, it really, really hurts... so please, Keima-kun... I beg you.'

'I will. After today, I will. I promise.'

'Then... then it's fine... just for today, Keima-kun... I guess... well, I wanted it to be at a better place again but...'

Keima allowed her that bit of comfort and he kissed her back, on the lips, teasing her just as how as he usually did as he broke away almost immediately.

'K-Keima-kun...'

Looking more upset than happy, Kanon turned to the latter again when Keima said that was just the start.

'It's the beginning, isn't it, Kanon? The real beginning... so would you please?'

'Would... I?'

'Would you please go out with me, Kanon?'

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**Author's Notes: There, now we have a final answer at long last.**


	84. A Misunderstanding

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 84: A Misunderstanding**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

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**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser dude_ for the beta as always. Happy new year guys!**

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**..  
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..

'Are you all ready for tomorrow?'

Keima asked patiently even as the girls were getting all psyched up for their concert. The day had been fun, a little too fun really, and they had almost forgotten that all of them had an important mission tomorrow.

Keima had not only taken Chihiro and Ayumi out, he had returned after a while and asked if Terada wanted to have a look around the place too.

Despite his insistence, the other 'normal' girl declined while stating that she'd rather help out in the café and helping out. The café was quite a more successful venture then they imagined, Keima imagined that it was due to how Ayumi and Chihiro were taking turns out in the floor than anything else.

This led to some interesting scenes as he noticed the demographic of the cafe change whenever who was manning the floor.

Even if there wasn't really a queue outside of their classroom, there were still a constant flow of people in and out of the café. Keima had even persuaded them to lower the cost of the food and beverages to ensure that the customers wouldn't hesitate to enter.

Even if he didn't want that at the start, there was no mistaking that Keima had became part of class in his own weird way. Unsurprisingly though the girls were more at ease with him, especially with the rumours of him and the 2B Pencils helping their cause.

That was an exact turnaround from how his reputation had been at the start. Even if the boys didn't really get along with Keima, they were at least more accepting of him than the girls. Now that this has changed... Keima still didn't care about either party anyway.

Such was the **Capturing God's** mindset and view of the _real_.

'We have to change tomorrow too right...'

Looking at each other, with Ayumi, Chihiro and Elsi wearing their waitress outfits and Miyako wearing an apron over her school uniform, they didn't look as flashy or provocative as they did on their first gig. Then again, even if they do have the morning shift tomorrow, they shouldn't be wearing this to the concert at all.

'…'

'What...?'

The girls were a little unnerved as Keima facepalmed and looked to the side, he does that a lot less often as compared to the past but it still irked all of them somewhat.

'Didn't you prepare your outfits beforehand? If you didn't, we can go with the school uniform now if you wish...'

'No we did... but did you think that we would be changing to our uniform now with you in the clubroom?'

Raising an eyebrow, Chihiro grinned cheekily at Keima who nodded slowly in recognition of her words.

'True, though I didn't hear any objections at this point so-'

Keima was promptly interrupted when Haqua threw a bottle at his head and she was only mildly surprised when Keima caught it and excused himself after that.

'The cheek of Katsuragi!'

But the damage was done and Haqua was snarling like a cat, baring her teeth slightly till Elsi calmed her down by saying that he was only overly worried about all of them, especially since the concert was tomorrow, he had the right to worry after all.

'We wore our best clothes at our first gig right? I didn't want to wear the same thing but...'

'We couldn't ask him to help us get more...'

Chihiro admitted with a small grimace as Haqua blinked in surprise. She hadn't been too concerned about how she looked, Elsi and Haqua could change their clothes with their raiments after all. This was an unexpected roadblock for them indeed.

'I brought some with me... but I don't know whether it'll fit with everyone else...'

'Me too...'

Clapping their hands together, Elsi and Haqua admitted to the girls freely while the rest just looked uncomfortable.

'Well, actually I did bring some clothes too, perhaps we should compare them together?'

Ayumi asked meekly even as Miyako looked thoughtful too.

'This is bad, if Keima-san knows that we didn't prepare for this...'

'N-No, it'll be our little secret.'

Perhaps their nerves were getting the better of them after all, that or their excitement in finishing their song was making them too confident. They hadn't even discussed about how they were going to be dressed on the actual day at all!

'W-Well, let's just do our best anyway...'

* * *

..

In the end it took the girls about half an hour, swapping and switching outfits with each other and the large pile of clothes that Haqua and Elsi had confessed to bringing as they couldn't decide exactly what to wear. It came as a shock to see how much clothes Elsi and Haqua had between them, but when Haqua said that her parents had bought a lot for her since she was going overseas but had packed some extra clothes by accident.

It seemed suspicious to them but if they noticed how the clothes seemed to fit them perfectly, they didn't raise it at all.

In the end they had to seek Keima's advise and as bad as it was to admit that they had totally forgotten about that, it was nothing compared to the look of scorn when Keima saw the outfits that they picked themselves.

Instead of the punkish look that they were going for before, the girls had reverted to a more modern look on Keima's insistence.

First was Ayumi, who had taken the liberty to be more conservative as usual by opting for a long dark grey blouse that covered up to half of her legs. This was in worn together with long contrasting light grey jeans.

It was a simple look if not for how she had chosen to wear a pair of brown platform boots that made her taller than Keima remembered. It was finally topped off with her own share of jewellery from Chihiro and Elsi, the same skull-shaped adorned necklace that they used to wear hanging around her neck.

What was more important was how Ayumi had decided to tie her hair back with a large red ribbon to show how serious she was about this. She only tied her hair back if it was really really important after all.

It was a great look and it helped Ayumi to stand out more among the band members, even if Keima was sure that it was the least of her priorities now.

..

For Chihiro, the boyish member of the group had been coerced, nudged and forced into the same look as the last time as well. She had accused the other members of trying to make her into a boy but in fact she had been quite happy with her new look as well.

Donning a black bowler hat rimmed with a large white ribbon, Chihiro was in all formal with her business suit, cuff links and even a striking red tie that contrasted with her white inner-shirt.

What made her feminine was how that inner-shirt tightly hugged her body to highlight her curves even though it was more or less obscured by her larger jacket.

It was that idea that firmly took hold, that of a secretly feminine boyish look that gave birth to the new Chihiro. Simple, but it showed what Chihiro wanted to show to her fans.

That was compounded by the platform shoes that she wore as well, a little shorter than Ayumi perhaps as she had opted for a thinner one but was still enough to match her thanks to her bowler hat.

Being in the center, Chihiro commanded attention as well and Keima felt that it was just fitting.

..

What made Haqua so different, and yet in sync with the rest of the girls was how she adopted the same bowler hat as Chihiro, but managed to pull off a totally different look; that of a stylish woman as she was wearing a brown vest that made her arms visible while mimicking Chihiro's look with the same tight-fitting white blouse and red tie.

There was one thing that Keima didn't notice before, but Chihiro and Haqua had braided their hairs, leaving a lock that was distinctive on their left and the right respectively.

This was a major distinction as Haqua with her longer hair made her more feminine while Chihiro with her shorter hair had made her boyish. It was like a package deal, different and contrasting as Haqua had opted for shorts with long stockings as well.

It might make her feel embarrassed before, but Haqua seemed happy with that as she teased Keima for staring at her for too long.

..

As for Miyako, the pianist of the group had opted for something more conservative and after letting her hair down, wore a large hoodie similar to how Ayumi had done before. This time she was happy leaving the hood behind her as she gave Keima a thumbs up in confidence. Besides the hoodie covering most of her, Miyako had chosen her share of accessories and she had chosen to adorn herself with rings and bangles instead that adorned her dominant right arm.

Thankfully she had chosen more colorful accessories than anything else more provocative.

Topping out the outfit were long spats that drew the line of modesty until one noticed the short skirt that Miyako wore below her hoodie; a dangerous woman indeed.

..

Last but not least, Elsi, who was going for a similar style as Miyako wore a blouse that was very similar to the waitress outfit that she wore earlier. On closer inspection it was indeed that same blouse and Elsi blushed while saying that it was Miyako's idea.

The white blouse was matched with a striking black miniskirt that barely covered her legs, Keima was surprised that he could call it skirt at all while her legs were covered by garters, it was important to note that the amount of skin-service that Elsi revealed between her skirt and the garters were considered a grade A at minimum.

There was no mistake about it, Keima was definitely staring at her.

..

'Stop staring at Elsi, Katsuragi,'

Feeling the other girls looking at him disapprovingly, Keima cleared his throat and said that it would do.

'That's... it?'

It was Miyako who sounded hurt but Keima could tell that was only a ploy to get the other girls to back her up as well while she looked at Keima meaningfully.

'All of you look great.'

'That's better~'

Even if Keima did release a long-suffering sign, the girls felt that was a victory as he had conceded surprisingly easily while excusing himself once again to allow all of them to change.

* * *

..

For Terada Miyako it was perhaps a lost opportunity that she would regret later, but it seemed that to make up for it, Keima was sticking by her side as all of them made their way back home together.

It was getting late by then, seeing that they were only able to move off from their posts at the end of the festival, and it was hovering near dinner time by the time all of them were done.

Keima, being the perfect manager and gentleman, had offered to walk them at least to the bus-stop before they parted ways. Although it seemed like a generous offer, the truth was that Keima had been doing that ever since the girls had gotten comfortable enough with him to do that so it wasn't an uncommon sight.

What was uncommon was instead how Keima stayed away from Chihiro, Ayumi, Haqua and Elsi.

There was the slight tense posture of his that he tended to show from time to time when he had something on his mind and Miyako paused as she realized that she had not given up as much as she wanted to if she could pick that up so easily.

She had a headache now knowing that she hadn't gotten over him, but the realization of that was enough for to ask her why was it wrong for her to not give up on him if she had the chance.

Unfortunately or fortunately for her, Keima was the one who made her give up in the end as he told her that she had made a decision already.

'You did, did you.'

Miyako tried her best to keep a neutral face even if she knew that it was already a futile effort as Keima narrowed his eyes at her answer and she winced a little guiltily. It wasn't her fault if he was able to call her bluff after all, in fact if Keima hadn't been able to it would just prove to Miyako that he was really unsettled, which wasn't something that she would expect from the normally elusive and yet gentle manager of hers, no, theirs.

'I guess it's not one of us.'

Miyako murmured quietly in consideration even as Keima nodded slowly as well. The two of them were sufficiently far away from the others to not alienate them nor to let them listen in their consideration and for some reason it made Miyako feel even guiltier before asking Keima whether he would tell it to them personally.

'I would but only after the concert.'

It made sense, Miyako knew it really did but it still wasn't enough for her not to feel a little upset herself. Yes, Keima was being sensitive to all of them and all but it still wasn't enough to hide her unhappiness at keeping all of them in the dark for so long.

'I know that I'm taking advantage of their trust... no, your trust in me, but would you rather me break the news to them now and make your first ever concert a failure? I'm sure that you know more than I do how all of them feel for me.'

'And yet you're perfectly willing to do that to me even if I have the same feelings, Katsuragi-kun?'

'…'

There was an awkward silence between the two of them before Keima pointed out that even though he knew that she liked him, Miyako never once confessed to him properly before.

..

It was enough for the usually composed and tricky 'normal' girl to freeze as she realized that she had royally screwed herself over. Despite all that, Miyako tried her best to remain calm and simply laughed nervously for a few moments before she dropped her head and said that she didn't tell him that, did she.

'Even so, you noticed. This is a disaster.'

Miyako mumbled to herself as she tried to make the situation as ridiculous as it seemed to make her embarrassment less obvious and stifling for the two of them.

How long did he knew? Miyako was struggling to come to terms with it despite telling herself that she must give up Keima before and when it was obvious that she couldn't at first, she told herself that she must try before this bombshell was dropped on her.

A part of her was upset that Keima had hidden the knowledge that he knew she liked him for so long without telling her. Heck, if she knew that he knew she might actually confess to regardless of how she rooted for her friends to win his heart.

There was no fair play in love and war after all, and she deserved some happiness herself, yes?

'How long did you know?'

Her curiosity won over her pragmatism as even if she did want to know who she lost to, and frankly it was more important now than anything; Miyako was still curious as to when Keima had realized that she too had feelings for him.

Was that why Keima had been a little more reserved with her after that fake confession that she had sneaked on him a few weeks ago? Or did he realize it only today when she rejected his offer to go on a date with her? If that was so, she must have been too obvious with how she disappointed she had been when she was the one who rejected him.

It's for her own good, Miyako had told herself, for all the good that did it still failed. She should have taken that last opportunity for a date with him after all!

'When you confessed to me then. I had been suspecting it but that confirmed it for me.'

So it was then... huh? Terada Miyako felt a little better after knowing that and she smiled at Keima, no doubt surprising him as she shrugged and said that it was worth a shot once.

'But I gave up... or maybe I should say that I'm trying to give up. It's hard you know, to give up on someone that you like.'

Miyako mumbled a little even as she slowed down, her playful mood disappearing before she paused and looked up at him.

'That's why I guess I understand what you meant earlier, about not telling them... so why are you telling _me_ this.'

Miyako tried her best to not take it out on Keima, he probably had a reason for all this, he always did and he pulled out a small envelope before handing it to her.

'Because I want all of you to have this. It's something that I had prepared for all of you.'

It sounded and seemed like a farewell gift and Miyako paused before suddenly grinning and slapping Keima on his back before urging him forward again to rejoin the girls.

'Katsuragi-kun, Katsuragi-kun, it's not nice to look at a girl when they are adjusting their make up! Sorry, we're coming now!'

Miyako bluffed while waving at the other girls and once they restarted their conversations Miyako's shoulders sagged even as Keima apologized as well.

'No, don't apologize. It's my fault for slowing down anyway... So what's this, a song...?'

Miyako paused as she read the song in detail, and despite herself, she flushed red before she could finish reading it. The lyrics must really be embarrassing as Miyako was lost for words even as she stuffed the CD, score sheet and lyrics back into the envelope in a rush.

'W-What is this, Katsuragi-kun, what do you want me to do with it?'

'I want you to show it to them before the concert tomorrow.'

* * *

**Author's Notes: I'll update regularly from now on, I hope, I hope to finish this story before the 2nd year anniversary of when I published this.**

**It's looking like a pipe dream though  
**


	85. The First Song

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 85: The First Song**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser dude_ for the beta as always. It's time for the final arc!**

* * *

**..  
**

If Miyako Terada was not upset before all this, she would certainly be upset now as she read aloud the letter that Keima had prepared for all of them while they were all changing.

Keima had been considerate enough to leave before that, telling them that there were still things that he wanted to take care of before meeting with all of them before they headed for the backstage.

In all honesty, Miyako should have expected that. It wasn't that he was inconsiderate to actually break the news that he was going out with Kanon just like that. If he did, she would have no choice but to voice his displeasure in the middle of the concert, and then to watch in satisfaction as his image and reputation crumble thanks to the unrelenting attacks by the Kanon fan club.

It wasn't even a letter telling them about his resignation after the concert, that was actually what Miyako was hedging on for, and to see that it wasn't that made her feel more than a bit relieved and surprised at the same time.

No, it was a song that he had composed, written and dedicated to all of them.

It would be flattering in normal circumstances and Miyako admitted that it was still flattering in a way, it just wasn't... because of who this song was dedicated to.

It wasn't just to her and the 2B Pencils, it was to Kanon as well and she had no doubt that Kanon would have a copy of the same letter and the CD that they were all listening to right now.

Honestly, at this point, Miyako was sure that neither one of them, the 2B Pencils and Kanon, would meet Keima till the end of the concert. Or even if they did, for him to shrug off their questions like water off a duck's back.

It was frustrating but at least Miyako admitted that he had his ways, means and _reasons_ for doing all this in the sly.

After all, if Keima wanted to tell them what he wanted to face-to-face, he would have done so. He wasn't shy about that even if he was discreet, and she frowned a bit while studying the rest of the girls and their reactions.

His letter told them of his reasons of why the song's lyrics were like that and Miyako wondered if Keima was really actually a music nut as the songs that he wanted them to sing had very significant meanings as well.

He wanted all of them to get along while detailing what he felt for all of them. It would be romantic, really, if it wasn't used in such a situation and Miyako found herself sighing again as the song finally ended.

It was loosely a song as there were no vocals present, only the music part of it done and Miyako wondered out loud who he wanted all of them to perform that song in the end.

..

'It's a great song, don't you think? Maybe we should perform it... or not.'

Miyako frowned as the girls reacted by giving them dry looks that told her that they didn't support the idea. Neither did she actually, but at least it was enough to get the girls going again as they noticed the time. Their first concert was going to start soon and despite Keima's declaration that he didn't want to make the girls more nervous, or god forbid, upset, before the concert, Miyako could at least feel that that the air was more tense than before.

It wasn't a bad feeling though and perhaps Keima had fired up the girls instead, something that Miyako actually wouldn't mind. Was it his plan after all?

Unlike the rest of the girls, Miyako wasn't as emotionally invested in Keima than she had thought. She was the one who was happy to back off and give up in order for her friends to be happy after all and it was probably because of that was she not as affected as the others, feeling happy and yet uncertain about the song.

The 'rivalry' between the 2B Pencils and the Singing Wizards could not be compared to what they had going on with Kanon. They were rivals yes but it was more than their singing career that they were competing against.

Sparks would literally fly between the two of them at times, especially so when it comes down to issues regarding Keima. Miyako of course was resigned to it, it gave her more reasons to thank her lucky stars that she wasn't involved in this than before.

Even Haqua seemed a little unsure what to do or to feel regarding the song, and in that aspect she was her only ally here, and Miyako smiled at her encouragingly as she ushered them all out of the changing room and towards the backstage.

Emotions or not, they still had a performance to put up, and it was never good to let the audience wait for them.

* * *

..

''So are all of you ready?'

It was Haqua who asked all of them that and it sounded odd compared to how Keima would actually ask but it was the thought that counted.

'As ready as I'll ever be.'

Chihiro grinned nervously as she checked her outfit even as Ayumi smiled in reply as well. Elsi and Miyako were busy adjusting their make-up but the two of them gave a thumbs-up to show that they were ready too.

Besides being complimented and stopped during their short but long journey to the backstage, it seemed that at least Kanon's entourage, her crew and the back-stage crew were looking forward to their appearance as guest performers in Kanon's gig.

Kanon was already on stage and she was performing that new single of hers: 'Koi No Shirushi' to the delight of all those that were present. Not that there were going to be many who would miss Kanon's concert after all.

Their popularity had rocketed the day before when it was revealed that they, the 2B Pencils would be their guest performers but Chihiro knew that it was probably the worst-kept secret in Mai-High by then.

Still, those that were from out of town had immediately flooded their websites trying to find out about this new girl band that had came out of nowhere to be invited to perform in Kanon's concert.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration or a stretch to say that the hit count for their website had surged the night before.

More pressure to perform better actually but Chihiro didn't mind.

If she did mind, she wouldn't be happy that she was in charge and she brushed off the disappointment of not seeing Keima before the concert, but at the same time happy that he had gave them a great gift before he supposedly left.

Whatever his reasons or purpose was behind that new song, Chihiro wanted to think about it later even as she told all of them to gather together.

'This is our first real gig. Well, we did have the gig back at the bar, but this is our first time performing on stage!'

'We did that during the rehearsals, Chihiro.'

Haqua managed to deadpan, but was immediately chastised as Chihiro slapped the back of her head in annoyance at being interrupted like that when she was trying to set the mood for all of them.

'I'm trying to do something here? C'mon... be serious! We practiced hard for this so let's do our best and have no regrets. We are performing on the same stage as Kanon like we promised we would.'

Chihiro made no note of what was going to happen if they didn't, but with the triumphant and confident lead looking like that, none of them really cared.

This was their stage and it was finally time as they heard the songs of Kanon thanking her audience in preparation of inviting all of them up on stage as well.

'Good luck there, girls!'

'Break a leg!'

The whispered encouragement from the crew made the smile and they headed out when Kanon announced their names loudly for all to hear.

'My good friends, the 2B Pencils!'

* * *

**Listen!**

**Written by Shouko Oomori**

**Performed by Houkago Tea Time**

..

_**Note:**_

_**C – Chihiro H – Haqua A – Ayumi**_

_**E – Elsi M- Miyako All- All**_

* * *

..

C: It's Deep Deep kokoro no oku fukaku / It's deep deep deep down inside our hearts

C: nan ni mo hibikanakatta SANKUCHUARI ni / In a sanctuary that had no sound

C: Heat Heat hi ga tsuichatta kara modorenai / Heat heat the flames were lit - now there's no turning back

H: It's Shock Shock shougeki hasshin shite / It's shock shock the tremors are comin' from us

H: dokomademo nee issho ni ikou yo tte / "Let's get all over the place together"

H: Rock Rock oto no arashi tsunami sasoiau / Rock rock a phonetic typhoon, tsunami - mutual attraction

..

..

_The moment the spotlight fell on them, the girls felt their focus tightened and all of them could only see what was in front of them. The fans of Kanon, the sea of people that spread and filled the entire auditorium that they were holding her small concert in._

_It could not be compared to their first gig in that small bar, this was the real deal and they knew that there were hundreds of people right now._

_Even if they weren't here for them per-se, even if they were just guest performers, even if not even 10% might be their fans or had even heard of them, they knew they couldn't fail._

_If they were nervous it didn't show as it was Haqua who started the beat along with Elsi and just having the two of them start was enough to get the others in gear as well. With Haqua's steady beat and Elsi accompanying her, the rest of the band got into their groove just before the first line was announced when Haqua winked at Chihiro._

_And like before it was Chihiro who started singing as she solemnly started, her voice starting just a little deeper than what she usually was to set the solemn tone before she relaxed and looked up to face her audience._

_Her real audience and Chihiro banished the fears in her heart as she realized that yes, they were really performing on the same stage as Kanon was, and there was no going back just like how the lyrics were like as well._

_Her performance was not as good as she wanted to be but Haqua made up for that as she took over from Chihiro easily, striking her drums hard momentarily even as Chihiro drifted to the side slightly to allow the audience to see Haqua singing as well._

_Like Keima had promised and had anticipated, it was an uncommon enough affair that it caught everyone's attention's almost immediately._

_It had to do with Haqua's confidence as her own showmanship as she still managed to keep the beat going on even if it was only two lines._

..

H: otoshita PIKKU oreta SUTIKKU / Dropped picks and broken sticks

H: zenzen mondai nai / They don't trouble us

C: onaji SAUNDO no naka ni iru sore ga jitsu wa kiseki / Giving off the same sound that's actually quite a miracle

..

..

_It was what that followed that made everyone pay attention as Haqua showed off by striking the cymbals together even as she sang, deeply immersed in the song itself. Oddly enough, the audience could hear her voice clearly even with how hard she was striking them, but they paid it no heed as Chihiro took over just as quickly as she slid to stand beside Haqua. It was something that was rehearsed and it allowed the audience to see all their members together, playing together and in synch with each other as they knew what was coming next._

_It might not be so much an accomplishment compared to professional bands but when compared to the mess that they were in a few months back, they were amazed at their progress and how they had come so far._

_Even if their audience might not recognize it, they would force them to recognize it as they hit the chorus as one._

..

C+H: We'll Sing utau yo kanjiru sono mama / We'll sing, just by the feel

C+H: donna ni chiisakutemo sekai de hitotsu no uta / No matter how faint it is, there's nothing else like it in this world

C+H: kyou shindemo kuyamanai tte kurai / Wanna live our lives fully

C+H: zenryoku de ikitai n da / Like it's the very last day on earth

C+H: hanate Passionate / Release, oh the passion

C+H: watashitachi no, kore ga Precious Heart Beat / To us, this is our precious heart beat

M: utau yo / We'll sing

..

..

_The chorus was a combination of Haqua and Chihiro's vocals but all of the band members mouthed they lyrics together with them as well. This song, 'Listen' had a lot of hidden meanings behind it that was hidden within the song's lyrics themselves._

_It was so like Keima that the girls hadn't really bothered or cared about it._

_'Listen' could be akin to them announcing to the world their intentions and dreams in this very stage together with Kanon. It, too, could be a message to Kanon, for her to 'listen' to them as they signalled their own arrival on her stage._

_Called them petty if you would but there was no doubt that her manager, Okada Tomoe had allowed this and even she was looking a little unsure about her own choice as the 2B Pencils performed in front of the cheering crowd._

_Just like how they had done during their rehearsal and their gig, their voices reached out and seemed to echo with the sentiments of the crowd and the student populations in general._

_It was a song that all of them could relate to, and all of them got swept up by their song and their voices as they sang their inner feelings to the world seemingly on their behalf as well._

_As they finished the chorus, tradition having Miyako ending it as the spotlight falls on her, the 2B Pencils could feel it as Miyako put on a little bit more of her into it. There was something different, this was something different. They would be different after this is all over, they could feel it._

_But like their song, they will keep on singing._

..

H: Non Sweet Sweet amai kotoba yori / Non-sweet-sweet rather than sugar-coated words

H: honne ga kokochi ii desho Touch Of Mind sou / Speaking your mind feels a lot better, no? Yeah

H: Wit Wit kikasete tanoshiku ne zutto itsumo / Joyfully make your wits heard, always and all the time

C: Non Stop Stop umareru omoi wa / Non-stop-stop the ideas that are born

C: hikari yori saki wo isoideru kara / Will escape you faster than the speed of light so

C: Rock Rock oto de tsukamaete tsutaenakya / Rock rock you need to catch 'em with music and tell the masses

..

..

_It was really poetic justice that Keima made Haqua sing the most tsundere, and yet non-tsundere like lines of the entire song, and the demon fumed slightly as the second part of the song started again._

_This time she even got time to blow her cheeks out in a pout before smiling happily and handing the baton over to Chihiro._

_In a way it was true to the lyrics as well and the audience loved every bit of it and the cheering intensified even as all of them could make out the audience shaking their hands together with the beat that they were providing._

_For Chihiro, the feeling inside her was growing frantically as well, her own feelings seemingly catching fire by her own singing, by her friends behind her and she felt like her heart was going to burst even as she sang._

_That wasn't an exaggeration as out of a corner of her eye, she could make out a small but familiar figure standing just at the edge of the stage. He wasn't backstage like where he said he was going to be, he was amongst the audience as well, if just barely and Chihiro couldn't let him down. Not now, not like that and especially not when there was something she had to know after this._

_And so, Kosaka Chihiro dropped her guitar and just sang instead, something that made everyone else gasp but served only to fire up the other members of her band._

..

C: hashiru RIZUMU kurutta CHUUNINGU / From a pacy rhythm to some bad tuning

C: zenbu souteinai / All of those are what you'd expect from us

H: onaji yume eranderu sore ga asu e no PAWAA / We chose the same dream, that is the power that drives us for tomorrow

..

_It was surreal but the two lead singers were like in a trance even as Chihiro nodded her head together with Haqua's beat as she sang before picking up her guitar again and doing the same thing for Haqua, the demon girl nodding to the distinct strumming of her beat as they broke into the chorus as one._

_It wasn't rehearsed but it sure looked like it did and below the stage, Katsuragi Keima clapped her hands softly to acknowledge the level of synchronization that they had achieved with one another._

_Even if that was nothing compared to how all of them played together in the chorus._

..

C+H: We'll Shout sakebu yo Away na SUTEEJI demo / We'll shout, even if the stage is not our stamping ground

C+H: donna ni kowakutemo hitorikiri ja nai kara / No matter how scary it is, we've got each other

A+E: mikansei datte kamawanai / We don't care if (our song)'s incomplete

C+H: honki kanadetai n da / We'll still like to play it genuinely

C+H: todoke Truthfulness / Reach out, oh truthfulness

C+H: yatto aeta ne, kore ga Treasure Heart Beat / We're finally found out treasured heart beat.

..

..

_Everything else didn't matter to them now, the 2B Pencils were immersed in the song that they had performed so hard for, and it showed for Haqua and Chihiro's voice didn't waver or even hesitate as they broke into the chorus together._

_In fact the two of them were able to breathe at the same time as they sang together. To a professional, it might not be that good of a thing as dual leads were supposed to cover each other if one screwed up, but for the two of them, for the band in general, it really didn't seem to matter as the other girls seemed ready to step in if necessary._

_In fact, Ayumi and Elsi had to do so during the middle of the chorus as Haqua and Chihiro were a little out of breath due to how the two of them raised their voices during their chorus but they just couldn't help it._

_The song suited them to a tee, heck, the lyrics, the song and the message embedded in them suited them to a tee, and it was hard for them not to give their best for this song and this chorus._

_They really do have one another for support as Ayumi and Elsi was able to follow up from Haqua and Chihrio as the two lead singers took a breath._

_What's most impressive of all? That their audience didn't realize that they had changed hands till their two leads took over again. However, all of them did see, acknowledge, and support how all of the 2B Pencils were suddenly looking and smiling at one another as they played._

_Instead of keeping eye contact on all of their audience, the 2B Pencils were looking at each other, find their presence comfortable and encouraging while playing together, and it was exactly what the song's vibe was._

..

_If they had any detractors about their lack of skill or professionalism, it was time to end that as after the chorus it was time for Elsi, Ayumi and Miyako to show what they had practised so hard for. The stage was given for the three of them as per Keima's instructions, the spotlight was on them as they played their own showcase during that small gap of time._

_It was really more of a showcase than anything else and even Keima was tempted to cut that part of the song out due to the duration... but in the end, he had left it in._

_It served as a means to not allow the audience to see how much effort all of them had put in but it allowed for the three supporters of the band to get some limelight and to show them that they wanted everyone of them to have a chance to shine at the stage too._

_With the audience at a fever high at their performance, especially Miyako's great showmanship included, it was time to end to signal the end of their first song._

..

M: We want to know... to live... to love / We want to know... to live... to love

A+E: kazoekirenai inori / Our countless prayers

A+E: koe ni shite hane ni shite Can Fly High / We give them a voice we give them wings so they can fly high

..

_And what better way to do that was to have Miyako to get it all going as the only 'normal' girl started strong when it was her turn. She raised her voice even though she knew that she was going to pay for that tomorrow as she sang in perfect English, pronunciation her lines with both emotions and perfect pitch as she passed the baton to her two supporting band mates._

_Ayumi and Elsi didn't disappoint as they, too, raised their voices to match their own growing level of emotions in this song._

_Even if they weren't trained or even if they didn't practise with it, they still sounded alright as they were singing with their hearts._

..

All: We'll Sing utau yo kanjiru sono mama / We'll sing, just by the feel

All: donna ni chiisakutemo sekai de hitotsu no uta / No matter how faint it is, there's nothing else like it in this world

All: kyou shindemo kuyamanai tte kurai / Wanna live our lives

All: zenryoku de ikitai n da / As if it's our very last day on earth

All: hanate Passionate / Release, oh the passion

All: watashitachi no, kore ga Precious Heart Beart

All: utau yo, Treasure Heart Beat / To us, this is our precious heart beat

A+E+M : Listen! / We'll sing, our treasured heart beat

..

..

_As one, the 2B Pencils sang the final part of the song together and with their rising emotions, all of them couldn't really react at seeing boards being put up with their names written on them for support._

_It must be Keima's doing as there hadn't been anything like that before, but they simply didn't care at all._

_In fact, they were high enough to actually ignore the audience at all as all of them felt like they were singing for themselves more than anything else._

_The nervousness was long gone but the sheer expectations that were on their shoulders didn't seem to bother them at all now as they sang for each other, echoing with each other and thanking each other as they took their first step into the regional stage with their resounding performance._

_It was exactly that which touched their audience's hearts as the 2B Pencils had unconsciously shifted themselves so that eye contact with each other was more or less a guarantee even if they were making efforts to look at the audience instead._

_However, they simply didn't care about it as the girls screamed their emotions and their beliefs at the audience as they wrapped up the first of their songs that they prepared for all of them._

* * *

**Author's Notes: I just would like to remind all of my readers that I've been stating that Azalea Side was going to end _Months _ago, so take everything you hear with a pinch of salt ;)**

**Credits for the lyrics goes to: animelyrics & AzureDark**


	86. Thank You But No!

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 86: Thank You But No!**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta as always!**

**A little earlier for you guys~  
**

* * *

**..  
**

There was no letup between their two songs as upon request, the lights dimmed and the girls all looked down while the spotlight shone on them, illuminating them even as Miyako started playing on her electric keyboard, the soft notes cutting through the audience's surprise and silencing them even as she stopped playing.

The audience didn't know what was going on and so they were all caught off-guard when Ayumi and Elsi started playing again, their beat picking up pace with Haqua joining in, getting everyone excited again even as Chihiro broke into song again.

* * *

..

**No Thank you!**

Performed by Hirasawa Yui, Akiyama Mio, Kotobuki Tsumugi and Tainaka Ritsu (cv: Toyosaki Aki, Hikasa Yoko, Kotobuki Minako and Sato Satomi)

_**Note:**_

_**C – Chihiro H – Haqua A – Ayumi**_

_**E – Elsi M- Miyako All- All**_

* * *

..

C: Howaito boodo de hishimekiau / Crammed in front of a white board

C: Rakugaki jiyuu na negaigoto / We scribble our wishes freely

C: Houkago no chaimu yuuhi ni hibiitemo / Even though the after school bell is echoing into the sunset

C: Yume miru pawaa disurenai ne ainiku / We can't diss on the power of dreaming, unfortunately

..

_It was a completely different style from what the girls had been playing before,with influences from just a little metal as Chihiro's voice was a little more forceful, making everyone listen to her as her eyes were focused on the crowd._

_This was their next stage, their next path and where they would be going forward, with or without him._

_It was a hard decision to make but so be it. All of their wishes, dreams and hopes were linked, shared and even broken together as one, right here in the same band and group of friends._

_So even if the bell had rung on this period of their lives, what's next was just as important as well. Even if they might have regrets, this was no place to stop when they have to, they have to go on!_

_Chihiro firmly believed that as she passed on the baton to Haqua._

..

H: Let's sing motto motto motto koe takaku / Let's sing, raise your voice louder and louder and louder

H: Kuchibiru ni kibou tazusaete / With your hopes on your lips

H: Waado hanatsu sono tabi hikari ni naru / When the words are set free, the pieces of us

H: Watashitachi no kakera / Become lights

..

_As Haqua broke into song, she seemed to stir up all the audience as she pumped one fist up into the air, ignoring her guitar as she screamed into the microphone, causing the crowd to flinch momentarily before joining her in pumping their hands up together with the beat as she slowly increased the volume as well as the amount of emotions poured into it._

_This song signified the start and perhaps the end of the 2B Pencils but there was no reason for them not to hope after all and she bravely sang her part, letting the crowd join in her complicated feelings that was being carried away and lifted by the music that they were playing._

_If there was one song that Haqua could choose or nominate as the one who would sway their feelings, these two songs would be at the top of her list as her fellow bandmates rallied themselves together as well, even as Haqua's emotions reached their max._

..

All: Omoide nante iranai yo / I don't need memories

All: Datte ima tsuyoku, fukaku aishiteru kara / Because I'm strongly, deeply in love with the now

All: Omoide hitaru otona no you na kanbi na zeitaku /Being flooded with memories is a sweet, adult-like luxury

All: Mada chotto... enryo shitai no / And yet... I wanna refrain from it a bit longer

..

_Was there any doubt that all of them could sing as one as the girls burst to life once again upon reaching this stage and they dumbfounded the crowd as they sang their hearts out, their voices were not just voices, but an expression of their feelings. That was what the members of the audience confessed as they continued cheering them on._

_These lyrics themselves seemed to fit in with their mood perfectly. So many memories were tempting them, telling them that all of this could continue, should continue._

_But like the lyrics themselves said, it was only for this moment, nothing more, nothing less._

_The now was the present, their present state, stage, members, feelings and dreams. The 'now' that was built up from the memories and the 'past' that they all shared to this very moment._

_And yet, yet, they shouldn't get caught up in it for too long for if they did, they would never be free from the pain or the feeling of lost if they lose to this nostalgic and addicting feeling._

..

H: Kokoro no nooto maakaa hikimidarete / In the notebook of my heart, the marker pulls at me

H: Osaeru to nakisou na pointo bakka / The tip seems to cry just from being restrained

H: Itami yorokobi minna to iru to / When I'm with everyone, pain and pleasure

H: Mugen ni ribaavu de sasaru fushigi / Stick to me infinitely by reverberating, it's a wonder

..

_As the girls handed the baton back to Haqua, the devil reflected to herself what she felt, what all of the girls would feel at this juncture. If the earlier song was their first song, then this was their answer to that cruel question of what would happen next._

_It was fitting, everything was fitting as Haqua sang on even as all of the girls felt and understood what Haqua just sang._

_They felt the same way for they shared the same memories, and even though Haqua was unable to know how deep the girls had been hurt, she could share their pain and In a way, all of them feed on each other, strengthening everything from the joy they shared to the bitterness, jealousy and again, joy._

_None of them were holding back, for if they did, they wouldn't be able to connect as well as they did. Even if they told themselves they did, the others knew, somehow, and in doing that, all of them were one, just like what Keima envisioned._

_A sisterhood, a band, best friends really!_

_Fitting, it always was fitting, the __**Capturing God**__ was devious indeed as all of the girls thought the same when Haqua finished her part._

..

C: Let's fly zutto zutto zutto kanata made / Let's fly, forever and ever and ever into the distance

C: Kauntodaun matenai yabou oikaze ni / Unable to wait for a countdown, our ambitions ride on the tailwind

C: Biito kizamu sono tabi purachina ni naru / When the beat is given, our wings

C: Watashitachi no tsubasa / Become platinum

..

_Some of the lyrics though, were not as fitting but Chihiro still felt great when she sang her part as she could envision all of them together, perhaps lost but then finally united again as they moved on from this stage._

_Dreams came from strange places, from places they really didn't expect from. For example, how would she have reacted half a year ago if someone told her that she would be in a band with Katsuragi, following him as they reached for their dreams?_

_She would have laughed, really poke fun at that individual for thinking the impossible._

_But yet, here they were now, praying for him to stay with them when they knew that it was hardly possible considering what Kanon could offer him._

_Did Keima want them to sing this song because he wanted Kanon to hear them? Or were their confessions just not strong enough?_

_Did their voices not reach him? Chihiro wondered but she narrowed her eyes as she heard Ayumi, not Haqua, take the lead next, but she grinned savagely when she noticed that it wasn't that._

_No, everyone was singing together and it was Ayumi who was singing the loudest, pouring her emotions into the song as she didn't want any regrets._

_No, none of them wanted any regrets here!_

..

All: Yakusoku nante iranai yo / I don't need promises

All: Datte ima igai, daremo ikirenai kara / Because now is the only time for living

All: Yakusoku hoshigaru kodomo no you na mujaki na zeijaku / Wanting promises is a naive, childlike frailty

All: Mou tokku ni... sotsugyou shita no / So long ago... I graduated from that

..

_Perhaps Keima did want them to sing this song, perhaps all the lyrics was his planning. It probably was that but there were so many ways to interpret songs and this was no exception._

_All of them had practised this song for so long that they could sing without lyrics and so there was no reason for them to suspect Keima had planned this. Even if he did do that, which was possible, the girls had agreed and practised this for so long that it really served them right if they had not picked up on this till now._

_They really, matched for the girls... resonated with those lyrics, as if screaming them at Keima, at the world for dashing their hopes and dreams._

_Even if he might not have, even if there wasn't going to be any change, the girls felt liberated just singing those words out loud for all to hear._

_It must be what Keima wanted to hear, it must be for all of them were indeed naïve, hoping that it would all turn out for the best._

_But the world was harsh, that was what he had stressed to them before and... he never promised anything beyond this, had he?_

_A parting gift, or just another lesson... the girls didn't want to care now for they had a song to finish!_

..

M: Itsumademo dokomademo kitto kikoe tsudzukeru / I'm sure they'll be heard everywhere, forever

M: Eien sae iranai no ni naze nakusesou ni nai / Though they do not even need eternity, somehow they don't seem to fade

M: Our Splendid Songs / Our Splendid Songs

..

_Abruptly, the beat stopped and it was only Miyako again as the spot light redirected themselves on the enigma, Terada Miyako as she sang loudly, slowly, emphasizing on her words as she slowly looked up and nodded to all of her band mates._

_This was a day to remember. So what if they were guests, trampling on the home turf of Nakagawa Kanon?_

_This was their stage at this point, they song their emotions, and Miyako sang in a way that it was akin to a prayer before the spotlight came to life again, illuminating the rest of the band as they strummed and played a chorus to bring the entire hall to their feet, ready for the next chorus._

..

All: Let's sing motto motto motto koe karetemo / Let's sing, even though our voices grow weaker and weaker and weaker

All: Kuchibiru de kono toki tataete / Our lips proclaim the moment

All: Ruuto onnaji chizu mochi meguriaeta / Having possession of a map of the same route was our bond

All: Watashitachi no kizuna / We had a fated encounter

..

_Singing all as one, they 2B Pencils rocked together with the audience as though it was their own gig, and if Nakagawa Kanon's performance had caused a huge dent in their confidence before, that dent was nowhere to be seen as they were confident again, taking over hearts of the audience as they sang as one, hearts and soul together while smiling at each other._

_Kanon was a pro, but really they didn't care and they shouldn't care!_

_All of them did have a fated encounter, but even with that it wouldn't be possible for all of this to happened if they didn't have the same dream, something that Keima __**had**__ to be trying to tell them through this song, through this part._

_If he did, he really was taking a very very long about way as the girls found their hearts fluttering at that revelation, which only came to light after everything that happened today, that all their songs had hinted and linked to, culminating into this particular moment where it all made sense, somehow, someway._

_Perhaps... just perhaps, all of this would have happened anyway without him?_

_Subconsciously they had all gathered together as well, centered around Miyako as all of them paused briefly for Miyako to begin the last chorus for their performance._

..

M: NO, Thank you!

All: Omoide nante iranai yo / I don't need memories

All: Datte ima tsuyoku, fukaku aishiteru kara / Because I'm strongly, deeply in love with the now

All: Omoide hitaru otona no you na kanbi na zeitaku / Being flooded with memories is a sweet, adult-like luxury

All: Mada chotto... enryo shitai / And yet... I wanna refrain from it

..

_So, were the 2B Pencils screaming at Keima for what he had done? Or were they all just upset at what he had done to make things all that complicated when it would have ended up this way in the end? Even the 2B Pencils themselves didn't know but they felt their hearts settle down again as they finished their performance with the climax that they wanted._

_They needed those memories as it was all worth it, but right now, as they were singing together, watching their audience cheer them on. Perhaps, it really wasn't that bad just to lose themselves in this feeling, in this euphoria, in their song like Keima had said before._

_It all came back to one thing, they were supposed to enjoy themselves while playing, they still did but were they all reading too much into the lyrics while they were playing? Their emotions, too, were getting the better of them at more than one point and yes, yes, it might be better for them that way._

_Strangely, the girls felt that it would be okay just to forget about it. To not dwell on it as they sang the last part of their song as they ended as one, fading the beat of the song till the end even as the audience whistled and cheered for them as they sensed the end of their second song._

_It was barely 10 minutes but with Ayumi, Elsi and Miyako ending their song and the girls relaxing even as the emotional high that all of them were into slowly calmed down as they ended the song together._

_'We are.'_

_Chihiro started but then grinned even as the others nodded as she paused._

"_The 2B Pencils!"_

* * *

..

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, the 2B Pencils bowed and waved to all of them even as the stage hands passed them so water to drink after their exhausting first two sings.

Those two songs really set the mood for their performance here, and even with all of them breathing a little hard and looking a little winded, the crowd still wouldn't get enough of them.

Hardly surprising as they had just undone Kanon's impression on them earlier on. This was something that ruffled Kanon's manager in a bad way as she stood behind in the backstage.

With Keima pulling the strings, his planning of the songs that was chosen, how they delivered those songs and most importantly.

How Keima had led not just the audience, but the 2B Pencils' thought patterns and emotions all the way up till now.

It was masterful and it was a genius at work here as it really just wasn't the songs that were chosen nor were it the messages that had been embedded deep into it. Katsuragi Keima was able to piece together this entire chain of emotional ups-and-downs, tied them down to two separate songs, join them together to deliver a resounding message to not just their performers but to the audience as well _AND_ still allow them to introduce themselves after it was all over without it being too awkward.

This boy was as scary as hell and Tomoe Okada felt regret not for the first time that he had probably wanted to manoeuvre her to this spot all the time. Despite all that, Tomoe Okada felt confident that Kanon's feelings would be the deciding factor.

Even if the 2B Pencils were able to resonate with their songs, recognize it for what it was and to deliver that message to the audience clearly, they were not Kanon.

Kanon was on a totally different level as she lived and breathed the song.

..

More importantly though, the message of 'Listen!' and 'No, Thank You!' was received by all of them and the audience.

'Listen!' was a song telling the world, themselves, and the audience of their own intentions of going through life together, with each other and not caring about what the others felt about it.

'No, Thank You' was a song that linked itself with 'Listen' more than anyone could believe in; a song that told of how the 2B Pencils wanted this moment to last for as long as it could be even while acknowledging that it was probably impossible at the same time.

A song that was both bitter and sweet, and despite the hidden undertones, the girls was telling the world that even if they knew it.

Even if they also acknowledged it, even if they were the ones to actually place them into words, the 2B Pencils themselves want to refrain from embracing it. The moment now, the bond that they had formed with each other, was too important for them to give up just like that.

But it was impossible for them to continue on like this, this was a stage that was big, too big for all of them, but they had managed to not only survive, but to thrive and maybe to even build on it.

This was something that Okada Tomoe didn't expect, and despite herself, despite how much she feared for Kanon, their threat to her, she really wanted to see how they would develop in the future.

..

'Let us introduce ourselves here~ The members of the 2B Pencils are~~~ Drum roll please!'

Chihiro breathed easily at long last, and the leader of the 2B Pencils smiled as she gestured for the spot light to be placed on Haqua before smiling and introducing her fellow lead singer.

'The singer on the drums, Haqua-chan!'

'Eheh~ Thanks, Chihiro.'

The demon giggled even as the tomboy pouted but she did cheer up slightly when Haqua introduced her in turn while giving her the same drum roll that she had provided earlier.

'And the fearless leader of our band, Chihiro-kun~'

Haqua laughed now as she used the suffix for a boy on Chihiro, but even Chihiro wasn't able to deny the squeals of her newly-won fans as the fangirls screamed Chihiro's name out as one and causing her to blush red while shaking her head.

'Ah and next up we have my best friend and our resident bassist Elsi-chan!'

Elsi curtsied sweetly on the stage even as she smiled and waved to her fans while giggling at Haqua's words.

'Haqua-chan's my best friend too! We've been friends forever haven't we? Oh, all of us are our best friends, but Haqua-chan's my bestest friend!'

'There isn't a word like that, Elsi-chan...'

Miyako retorted without thinking and the straight-speaking 'normal' girl flushed a little before introducing herself as well.

'I'm Terada Miyako, it is a pleasure I'm sure.'

Miyako has always been the one who was a little more distant as compared to the other girls, and it was something that was highlighted here as she bowed to their fans formally on the stage.

'And I'm one of the original founding members of the 2B Pencils.'

At least that's what appeared to be the case as Miyako raised a hand to cover her mouth in a snobbish manner before giggling.

'And our last member and the most popular one of all, Ayumi!'

Dramatically gesturing at Ayumi, the stage-shy Ayumi blushed, but that couldn't be compared to the level of red her face achieved when her fans shouted her name from below the stage.

'Ara ara~ Guess we right on that, Ayumi-chan!'

Miyako couldn't resist the dig even as the others simply smiled in response, they didn't mind how popular Ayumi was, they just felt a little bad at putting her on the spot like that.

'I'm Ayumi and I play the guitar... we hope you'll enjoy our next song!'

..

* * *

**Author's Notes: Just a random trivia. The seiyuu for Ayumi is Taketatsu Ayana, which is the seiyuu for Azusa from K-On! even if she didn't perform in this song by itself, I didn't realize that.**

**On another more random note, the seiyuu for Shiori, Hana Kanazawa is also the seiyuu for Kusano in Sekirei... seriously? What's more, Tamura Yukari is the seiyuu for Kusano in the drama CD? I'm not sure who to prefer but honestly, hiring such great seiyuus for Kusano feels a little.. underwhelming for me... aaand, that's enough ranting from me!  
**


	87. A Graduation Song

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 87: A Graduation Song**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: It is with a sense of irony with this chapter as I just started school. Updates would be maintained as usual for a while as I try to sort things out with school, work and writing. And chilling, chilling is always good.**

**Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta as always!  
**

* * *

**..  
**

..

It was almost time for the end and from the reactions of the crowd, they were all eagerly waiting for the next song that the girls would be singing and it made Keima smile in satisfaction at seeing how well it had gone on so far.

The girls were really enjoying themselves as they made small talk with the audience after introducing themselves earlier after 'Listen' and 'No Thank You' as they were both very provocative songs that would stir up the crowd.

It was like the school was witnessing the coming of age for the 2B Pencils and that the world was their stage from henceforth. Keima did not think that it was possible but he was the same person who accepted the challenge from Nakagawa Kanon in the first place and her earlier performance proved to everyone that she was indeed the real deal... even if Keima disagreed slightly with the choice of songs that she performed...

They were, inadequate and seemed randomly-chosen unlike the careful selection of songs that he had picked for the girls.

Looking back, it had been quite a struggle for him to decide which songs were right but... the next song had seen perfect as it helped the 2B Pencils express themselves to each other, unlike their other songs which screamed for the world to look at them.

It was a song that Keima allowed and agreed to let all of them to sing as a band and not give designated pairs to sing.

..

'For our next and final song... this song is one that we... would like to dedicate to all of the seniors who are leaving the school... as well as to each other... it can be said to be a promise between all of us, between the 2B Pencils.'

Chihiro announced as she smiled wistfully at her band mates and she was quickly interrupted by Ayumi who tried to lighten the mood a little by smiling and grabbing the attention from her.

'Please listen to us everyone... it is something that is very important to all of us... and it might be to you as well. A song that... he picked for us and I'm sure that he and everyone here will understand how we felt when we are practising this song together, Elsi-chan cried when we performed it for the first time, neh?'

Passing the ball to Elsi, Ayumi laughed but Keima and perhaps some observant individuals could see that this song really meant something to her personally as well as she wiped her eyes to get rid of the tears that were appearing.

'I... I didn't... I did... I really like this song... so... Mina-sama... this song is from us to you... as well as from me to my friends, all of them... Please, do remember that we performed today here... in this date on this stage.'

A personal plea from Elsi too, and it was Haqua's turn to pick up the ball as she smiled brightly while twirling her playing stick before pointing it at the audience confidently.

'Even if I'm new to the school... I know that all of you are very friendly... and I made many friends here... for that reason, I hope that everyone would continue to be friends, for now till forever... let us always have a smile for each one of us. We are not just a school, we are a family.'

'Haqua-chan's right... and I think this song really represents a wish that everyone want to be fulfilled... something that one only realizes when it is too late... but that's not the way... let us remember what it feels like to be friends...'

Miyako finished the conversation and although it seemed scripted, Keima did not actually prepare one for them... they wanted to tell the audience this message by themselves.

..

'So... 2B Pencil's next song would be: Tenshi ni Fureta yo! (Touched by An Angel)'

* * *

Tenshi ni Fureta yo! (Touched by An Angel)  
Written by Inaba Emi  
Composed and Arranged by Kawaguchi Susumu  
Performed by The K-On! Girls

_**Note:**_

_**C – Chihiro H – Haqua A – Ayumi**_

_**E – Elsi M- Miyako All- All**_

* * *

..

_A: nee omoide no KAKERA ni / Hey, if we could put our names_

_A: namae wo tsukete hozon suru nara / On a piece of our memories and preserve it_

_A: "Takaramono" ga pittari da ne / Wouldn't that be the perfect "treasure"? _

..

_The girls all knew that Katsuragi Keima wanted them to sing this song as a kind of legacy for the 2B Pencils even though he had not said so implicitly. There was the chance that they would lose him and out of all the girls, Chihiro would be the worst hit as she was the one who had benefited the most from Keima._

_Not just in terms of skill, but she had been the most influenced by him. She had gotten more motivated and had more drive. Not to mention how Chihiro was able to keep her focus on what she wanted instead of being side-tracked by her own personality._

_Katsuragi Keima taught Chihiro focus above all things, and from his absence, seems to have tried hard to shed away her old shell to began anew._

_Even so, Chihiro had decided and demanded that they perform this song and all the other songs that he had hand-picked and chosen for them. Was she still clinging to him in the end after all?_

..

_Yet when allocating the lyrics, Chihiro had decided that all of them would sing this song together._

_It was not just her, everyone else was affected by his sudden decision to spend time helping Kanon and even after knowing that he had thought long and hard before making this decision, it had made the transition a little better._

_This song meant a lot to them, to every one of them as they had not treasured the time that they had with Katsuragi Keima._

_They had taken him for granted, thinking that he would stay with them... and although they had rallied considerably since then... it still felt hollow, empty inside just thinking about the possibility that he wasn't going to be with them._

_Thus, this song, kicked off by Chihiro and Haqua in a slow and steady beat... accompanied with Ayumi's voice, was not just a song for their seniors... but themselves, the graduating song for the 2B Pencils_

..

_E: sou KOKORO no youryou ga / Right, these excitement-colored days_

_E: ippai ni naru kurai ni / That have passed have filled our hearts_

_E: sugoshita ne tokimeki iro no mainichi / To their full capacity_

..

_Elsi's voice was trembling a little as she sung her part following Ayumi, and it was not a lie that all of the 2B Pencils were affected by the song... it had been especially hard on them when they realized that this was their probably last stage; their last stage together as the 2B Pencils. The previous facade of looking nonplussed and confident seemed to melt away as they started on their final song for this stage._

_No matter the outcome, the 2B Pencils would never be the same after the Mai-High Festival._

_They were a performing club, but they probably would have to allow members to join them after their performance here... they have, thus far, resisted any attempts to join by saying they wish to prepare but after this concert... everything will change._

_What they have done, what they have achieved... would no doubt reach a climax today._

_Even if nothing would change, it doesn't mean that something inside them would not change._

_It was that irreplaceable part that made it so unbearable._

..

_M: najinda seifuku to uwabaki / The familiar uniforms and indoor shoes_

_M: HOWAITOBOODO no rakugaki / The doodles on our whiteboard _

_M: ashita no iriguchi ni / I guess we have to leave them behind_

_M: oite kanakucha ikenai no kana /At the entrance to tomorrow._

..

_The third part was followed by Miyako, who thus far has not wavered at all, not even letting the emotions get to her till it was time for her to sing and her voice trembled slightly as she sang her part. It was only their third song but the weight of it all was finally making it show on them one by one._

_They were not graduating... not yet, but this was their graduating gig after all, and to Miyako. it had been a long time coming._

_From her first piano lesson to the establishment of the 2B Pencils, to their first-ever gig at the night club, their audition with the rest of the groups... all culminating today in the Mai-High Festival._

_Regardless of the outcome, Miyako knew that she would never get to relive this experience with her best friends, with the friends that she did not want to be separated from._

_The tears that slowly dropped on the keyboard showed how emotional she was getting, and although her vision was blurred, she kept on playing resolutely, choosing not to wipe away those tears even as the entire hall fell silent at their music and their display, only listening and not even clapping their hands as the emotions from the girls carried over to their side as well._

..

_H: demo ne, aeta yo! suteki na tenshi ni / But hey, we met one! A wonderful angel_

_H: sotsugyou wa owari ja nai / Graduation isn't the end_

_H: kore kara mo nakama dakara / We're buddies from here on out!_

_C: issho no shashintachi / Pictures of us together_

_C: osoro no KIIHORUDAA / Our matching keychains_

_C: itsumademo kagayaiteru / Will shine on forever_

_E: zutto sono egao arigatou / And always, we thank you for your smile._

..

_Forceful as always, Haqua burst into life at the chorus and lifted the mood slightly as she lowered her eyes while singing her part. She knew it was not the end, she hoped that it was not the end even though they had just started... it was the beginning, of the new lease of life after the festival, and she tried her best to sum it up with her voice and her playing._

_She was resolute in her will to not be affected by the song, singing with her eyes closed at the start before opening them wide to look at her friends, her band mates as well as at the distance, hoping to find Katsuragi Keima in the crowd. He was listening, he had to be, even if he wasn't, she knew that their emotions would reach him._

_It was fortunate for her to find friends like these, for friends like Chihiro, Ayumi and Miyako to take care of Elsi, even when she wasn't here... and even if her stay in the school was only temporary, Haqua knew that she would cherish those memories for a long time._

..

_It wasn't over; not yet it wasn't and Chihiro, with her eyes red, followed in spirit when she took up the baton from Haqua as she looked at her instrument together with everyone else, angling herself so that she had full view of everyone, catching their eyes and thanking them within the song as well._

_Without all of them, she wouldn't have been able to get this far... and for once she did not say goodbye the day before the concert... not when she wanted to meet them again the next day and Chihiro tried hard to smile as she sang, knowing that this moment would be forever captured in their memories..._

_It was their graduation song, the song that was chosen for them by Keima, and with the end of this song... their performance would signal the next step for each and one of them._

..

_M: nee sakura no ki mo chotto / Hey, the cherry trees_

_M: setake ga nobita mitai / Seem like they've grown a bit too_

_M: mienai yukkuri na SUPIIDO demo / Though its too slow for you see!_

..

_After the chorus it was Miyako's turn, causing the crowd to stretch their necks out to try to catch a glimpse of her. Carried away by the mood, several of the 2B Pencils were already crying or their eyes rimming with tears, and Miyako was one of them._

_She however had rallied herself, and her image as the calm, cold princess in the midst of the 2B Pencils was upheld as she held her chin high and proudly while singing._

_It served as a calming effect for the 2B Pencils as all of them gained control of their emotions after that cool performance by Miyako as she realized that they could not screw up at this stage. Not when this was what they had all worked so hard for!_

_Not when it wasn't over, there would be many other songs left to express themselves. But this was the one song that will decide once and for all whether they could shoot for the stars!_

_It was with that determination did she help the 2B Pencils regain their control and to play on with no mishaps as she passed the baton back to Elsi with a quick nod._

..

_E: kitto ano sora wa miteta ne / I'm sure, the sky above us saw it all_

_E: nando mo tsumazuita koto / All the times we tripped_

_E: soredemo saigo made aruketa koto / But also all the times we walked on till the end_

..

_Naturally Elsi wasn't as controlled as Miyako, and she did stumble with her words and her playing as she sniffed instead of sobbed, a very good improvement till she spotted someone appearing in the backstage looking at the four of them._

_It was Nakagawa Kanon and Elsi's mind froze for a second before she got her second wind. The stubbornness that she had gained after rubbing off Keima came to light as she steadied herself to finish her lines, looking at Kanon all the way._

_She did not want to lose, not when it could really affect her relationship with Keima, and so Katsuragi Elsi found the motivation to keep on playing, to remember the lessons that Keima had taught them... just for a little while longer._

_It was difficult bottling up the emotions she felt inside her... but that did not compare to what she had to bottle in regarding Keima and Kanon... no, it could never be compared at all!_

..

_C: fuwari houkago no rouka ni / The wings of the notes we played_

_C: koboreta onpu no hane / Overflowing gently into the hallway _

_H: fuka fuka tsumoru made / Until it piles up to be cuddly_

_H: kono mama de iretara ii no ni na / It'd be fine if it stays the way it is now_

..

_Surprising everyone who expected Ayumi to sing next, the guitarist shying away from the spotlight just as Chihiro started again slowly, the beat not changing as they near the chorus. They were excited before, but now with Miyako and Haqua's lead and guidance, all of them were able to keep from playing too quickly or slowly for the song._

_It was not a slow song nor a long one, it was just a casual song... one that could be played by amateurs but they wished to prove that even with such a simple song, it can be different if they poured enough emotion into it._

_And they poured all their emotions into this song, as it was almost as if they could see all the times that they had spent together flash right in front of them._

_All the hard times, the fun times, the sad times, as well as how it all began and how it could end._

_The 2B Pencils' Graduation Song meant more to them than anyone could ever imagine, even Katsuragi Keima as he looked on from the sidelines._

..

_A: demo ne, fureta yo! ai subeki tenshi ni / But hey, we were touched! By a lovely angel_

_A: tadaima tte itaku naru / This place will never change_

_A: kono basho wa kawaranai yo / You could almost say, "I'm home!"_

_E: MEERU no jushinbako / Our email inboxes_

_E: MARU shita KARENDAA / Circled dates on our calendars_

_E: tobikiri no yume to deai kureta / We were able to encounter an extraordinary dream_

_M: ongaku ni arigatou / So we say thank you to music_

..

_Back to Ayumi and the guitarist allowed her tears to flow freely as she looked at her friends, alternating between them and the audience as she sang her heart out._

_Who was the angel that all of them met? It was a stretch, but she rather they sang that they met God, a passionate, odd, and yet kind god who left his mark on all of them, the lost lambs that didn't know what to do._

_It was kind of ironic to her, too, that she sang that the place would never change when it already did, they were made in God's image, or so she liked to joke to herself._

_The place that never changed could be symbolized for their hearts and their feelings, no?_

..

_As Elsi took over from Ayumi, she managed to smile while singing as the lyrics made her remember the journey here, counting down the days where everything would finally converge together for a final ending._

_Yes, an ending, that's what was going to happen today, yes? The planning, the heartache, the many calls to each other was all going to pay off in performing on this stage._

_Yes, this was a borrowed stage, a stage that didn't belong to them, but it doesn't matter, it really doesn't matter as they were able to fulfil their wish, her Kami-Onii-sama's wish on this stage._

_Something that Miyako confirmed when she bowed to the audience when she broke in abruptly, letting the rest of the 2B Pencils to do the same while struggling to keep up with the beat that they almost lost._

..

_All: eki no HOOMU kawara no michi / The platform at the station, the path by the riverside_

_All: hanaretete mo onaji sora miagete / Even if we're apart, we can look up at the same sky_

_All: YUNIZON de utaou! / And sing in unison!_

..

_Their voices was in unison, there was no hesitation for the girls as they reached the last part of their song, and really, this was going to be the end... ready for a new beginning, and all of them looked at each other, seemingly lost in the moment before breaking to the next chorus as their leader, Chihiro, lead them forward once again._

..

_C: demo ne, aeta yo! suteki na tenshi ni / But hey, we met one! A wonderful angel_

_C: sotsugyou wa owari ja nai / Graduation isn't the end_

_C: kore kara mo nakama dakara / We're buddies from here on out!_

_H: daisuki tte iu nara / If you say you really love us_

_H: daidaisuki tte kaesu yo / We'll answer that we really, really love you!_

_H: wasuremono mou nai yo ne / There's nothing else we've forgotten_

_M: zutto eien ni issho da yo / We'll be together forever and ever!_

..

_They'll be together forever, that was what the __**Capturing God**__ wanted even if it might not be what the girls were expecting from him as they had each other._

_That part however, was exactly what the __**Capturing God**__ wanted for all of them to have each other, to overcome their obstacles together, and most importantly... the heartbreak that might happen after all this is over._

* * *

_Yes, their final song as Chihiro thanked them for their time and the 2B Pencils left the stage for real as abruptly as they had entered._

_There was no fancy farewell speech nor any touching words or gestures to the audience that have supported them._

_Not that they didn't need any, but the 2B Pencils felt and the audience agreed that they have already gotten the best answer to all of them with their last song._

* * *

..

'… Hah...'

Placing a hand on her chest as she exited the stage, Chihiro felt her heart slowly calm down as she looked back at her fellow band mates, all of them who shared the same exhausted but exhilarated look on their faces.

'…'

It was like what happened earlier on the stage, words could not express what they felt now, all their emotions were spent as they poured every single drop of it into their songs. It was a journey, an emotional roller coaster from the start to finish, when they had started listening to Kanon's performance, to Keima's final gift for all of them, and their own performance just now.

Nakagawa Kanon was a monster, a monster and a rising star in the singing industry, and it was only when they were there live, hearing her sing did it finally occur to them the mountain that they have to climb.

Still, despite the disappointment and the realisation that they could never, ever match up to Kanon, the 2B Pencils had risen up to the challenge and did what they were here for; to sing on the same stage as her.

They had promised, had sworn, and had bet all their memories, their sweat and tears on this moment, to be with Kanon on the same stage.

Even if they were nowhere close to the amount of skill and experience that Kanon has, they continued on with their performance, and in the process, earned the respect of all who were helping Kanon behind the backstage as well. Actually they outperformed everyone's expectations for them.

'All of you did great.'

One of the assistants gave them a thumbs-up as they passed all of the girls some water to cool down. They hadn't expected much from the girls, thinking that it was a whim by Kanon or Okada to garner some support for the school, but they were wrong.

These girls, they performed with the same passion as Kanon, they were stars in their own right, and they all converged around them, congratulating them on their gig while the girls just smiled, bowed and thanked them in return.

Even when they were emotionally spent, the girls were as polite as ever, a testament to the legacy that they received from Keima perhaps? It was a very odd feeling for them as all of them felt so sure that everything was going to change after this performance, and yet couldn't let go of the one thing that made them _the_ 2B Pencils.

Then again, it was alright to just indulge themselves, just for a while as they mingled with the staff, even as Kanon prepared to take her rightful place in the stage again.

'Thank you, everyone.'

'Mm! Thank you!'

'We are honoured to be able to play on the same stage as Kanon-chan.'

'We did it, everyone~ Wahaha!'

'S-Stop it, Ayumi! Waaa!'

As the girls gathered and hugged each other, culminating in them falling over themselves in their bid to do a group hug, all five of them laughed and celebrated with each other, glad and excited that they fulfilled their promise with Kanon, and by extension, with Keima as well.

* * *

**Author's Notes: No Author Notes this time... but a new poll is up, so please do it!  
**


	88. A Song For Love

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 88: A Song For Love**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: And your usual updates. Thank you, _Kaiser Dude_ for the beta as always.**_  
_

**And I love this song, so much so that there is no other song that I think would express Kanon better.  
**

* * *

..

For Kanon, it was with a heavy heart as she slowly walked up to the stage that the 2B Pencils had just left. A heavy heart for she felt that she had been outdone on her own stage. Yes, perhaps her technique and stage experience was better, yes, perhaps all of the fans here were here for her and not for the 2B Pencils.

But that didn't stop the nagging feeling that she had lost and had lost terribly to the 2B Pencils as they were as good as her when it came to their delivery, their expression, and their songs.

They too were able to pull off what Kanon had been able to and in light of that, a professional being compared to budding amateurs was like a slap to the face for Kanon. The top idol of Japan found her confidence waning just a little till she caught sight of someone standing at the corner of the auditorium, someone who had encouraged her so far and she decided that she would be brave.

Just a little bit more, for she was on this stage for this reason; to express herself through her songs, to show the world what she wanted, what she hoped and what she dreamed off.

She was a star, a star that was too dazzling for Katsuragi Keima to look then... but right now, she had to fight tooth and nail as there were other stars who were similar, who wanted the same thing.

And Kanon can't accept that, so she forcefully grabbed the microphone in front of her, gaining a few surprised gasps as she raised her head up, chin up and confident as she delivered _her_ final song for the night.

'A song, that I wish for a special someone to hear today.'

She gushed as the lights dimmed, spotlight on her and her band, ready to let it rip behind her.

She'll show them, show the 2B Pencils what it was really like.

..

Kanon knew that this song was hard, it was hard to sing, yes, but the key thing about this song was the emotions that she would have to pour and invest into it when singing it.

It must not be a lie, what she was singing was not a lie. It was an expression of herself, of what she wanted to show the world, what she wanted the world to hear and what she wanted that one individual to know.

Songs have always been her medium, her voice the one thing that defined her more than anything else.

They invoked one's emotions, they told the other people what she felt and left them to interpret it as they see fit.

Kanon didn't want to force them to feel what she felt but if they could feel what she was expressing through her voice alone, that was enough for her.

It was more than enough actually; before she could just scream at herself deep inside her, the frustration that she couldn't do anything but to just silent bear the treatment the others gave her because she was a little different.

Kanon didn't have a mean bone in her body, that was what her fans told her, but Kanon herself knew better.

She hated them, she disliked them, she didn't want anything to do with them, and when she finally emerged as the winner, as the Top Idol, it was very satisfying to treat the ones who treated her badly well.

It was a much more satisfying revenge than being mean back in turn as she knew that regret and guilt were much more harder to bear than meanness.

..

Kanon could be mean if she had to, and because of that, she was ready to show what she could do. What she felt, and what she felt was lacking in her fellow competitors that wanted Keima as well, but in love, there was no such thing as fair play.

And now that Keima did ask her out and she had accepted it, it was time to seal the deal.

..

'Everyone, this is a new single, a new song for a very special person of mine... please.'

Kanon paused for a second, readying herself, pulling deep into herself to that hidden part of her that sealed away her emotions when she was performing. She needed that part of her now, even if she made a mess of it, she would be honest and when her eyes opened, it was lined with tears as she continued where she had left off the last time.

'Kimi no Shirani... Monogatari.'

* * *

Music, lyrics, and arrangement: ryo

Vocals : nagi

Presented by supercell

* * *

..

itsumodoori no aruhi no koto / On that ordinary day

kimi wa totsuzen tachiagari itta / You suddenly stood up and said,

"konya hoshi o mi ni yukou" / "Let's go stargazing tonight!"

..

_Kanon felt her scalp tingle as she started but she bravely started the song as she started, mumbling a little before raising her voice proudly again in the end. She wasn't afraid to show the world her voice but it was more than a bit embarrassing when her audience stood up in response. This wasn't a simple song at all, not when the beat rapidly changed without any forewarning, but she was the one who wanted it to be written._

_The roller-coaster ride of emotions that she wanted her audience to feel was embedded into this song, starting slow, increasing the pace before the climax where her entire soul and heart was poured into it._

_They could feel it, the composers could feel it, the band that was playing for her could feel it. That was what she, Nakagawa Kanon, wanted to portray to the world, no, to him._

_The feelings that she had expressed to him before, the day before or any day before that, could not compare to the longing that she had held in her for so long.  
Always, always she had tried her best to hide it, lest it overwhelm him. Lest that he find her to be odd, to be oppressive, to be overwhelming, and for him not to return that same love to her._

_How could he when he didn't know what Kanon felt for him, the regret, the anguish and the pain from being separated from him?_

..

_The long introduction between the first lines, the one which had possibly caught the audience by surprise at the start was just what Kanon needed to feel the blood course through her veins even more as her emotions raised as well. She wanted this to begin and yet, she felt sad that it was going to be the last song she was going to sing today._

_As Kanon fought to drive those thoughts from her mind to focus, she felt her eyes watering even more as she sang the song started again._

..

"tamani wa ii koto iunda ne" / "You get good ideas once in a while, huh?"

nante minna shite itte waratta / Everyone said and laughed.

akarimonai michi o / We joked around and walked

..

bakamitai ni hashaide aruita / Like fools on that unlit path,

kakaekonda kodoku ya fuan ni / So we wouldn't be crushed

oshitsubusarenaiyouni / By the loneliness and anxiety we held.

..

_It took skill for her to finally nail the first line as it was so fast, but at the same time, not so fast that her audience couldn't understand her. It was that feeling of triumph that she did it perfectly that formed the smile on her face as she looked at her audience. There was no dance moves here, she didn't need one. Her voice, it was all that she had, and it was more than sufficient._

..

_The song itself wasn't special, the lyrics itself wasn't special, and in many ways it might pale in comparison to those songs that Keima chose for the 2B Pencils. Even if she didn't tell him, he knew that she had studied their tapes, their performances, and saw how he helped the 2B Pencils with their song selections._

_All of them spoke volumes just from the lyrics themselves but Kanon didn't have the luxury for that, she was a professional singer and she couldn't just choose what song she wanted to sing._

_But this song, out of all the other songs that she had released from her latest album, was special._

_Even more special than 'Koi No Shirushi' actually. This was the one song that she had actually begged the composer and the writer to compose this one for her._

_It was an unorthodox request as it was Kanon's first time working with that particular team and well, she had to pull a few favors from them to do that._

_The result was this song, one where she tried so hard to be able to sing for him, for the boy who she knew was listening to her from behind or in front of the stage._

..

makkurana sekai kara miageta / Gazing up from the pitch black world

yozora wa hoshi ga furu youde / The night sky seemed like it was raining stars.

..

_As Kanon reached this part, she unconsciously clenched her hands, and eyes closed, to her chest as though in a prayer. Her audience paused for a moment, unsure of what to expect from her when she raised her voice again, dragging it slightly longer and emphasizing herself even as she opened her eyes again._

..

itsu kara darou kimi no koto o / Since when I wonder,

oikakeru watashi ga ita / Have I been chasing after you?

douka onegai / Somehow, please,

odorokanaide kiiteyo / Don't be surprised and listen

watashi no kono omoi o / to these feelings of mine.

..

_The next part was linked together with the earlier portion, but Kanon simply couldn't remember or care to remember what her audience's reaction was as she poured her whole soul into it like she promised._

_It was one of the few parts of her song that made sense, and it was one of those when her feelings and what she wanted to convey to __**him**__ actually mirrored each other._

_As her hands flew open, Kanon lowered her head slightly as she raised her hands up as well, as though welcoming someone that she had been waiting for very long had finally appeared in front of her._

_She had been chasing for so long that she didn't know she was chasing, and her eyes looked over the audience even though she knew he wasn't there. But she could still hope, hope that he had abandoned them to see her on the stage here._

_Where her heart and soul was given to him._

_Kanon proved that when she emphasized it in the song as well, stressing and begging him to listen to her, even in the song itself._

_The audience heard her as the fell silent as they looked up at the emotional Kanon singing._

..

"are ga DENEBU, ARUTAIRU, BEGA" / "There's Deneb, Altair, and Vega."

kimi wa yubisasu natsu no daisankaku / You pointed out the summer triangle.

oboete sora o miru / I remember and look at the sky.

..

yatto mitsuketa orihimesama / Finally found Orihime-sama,

dakedo doko darou hikoboshisama / But where's Hikoboshi-sama?

kore ja hitori bocchi / That's a bit lonely.

..

_Kanon knew about the legend of Orihime and Hikoboshi, who in Japan hadn't heard of them at all at one point, and Kanon found it fitting and ironic that the song used it to express her emotions._

_It was always her who has to contact him and not the other way around. Sometimes she couldn't even see him too, not knowing what he was doing and where he was made her feel anguished and sad; exactly what she imagined Orihime would feel too if it rained at the Tanabata festival._

..

tanoshigena hitotsu tonari no kimi / Next to you, who was having fun,

watashi wa nani mo ienakute / I couldn't say anything.

..

_There was no control this time, not when Kanon knew what was coming and her emotions ran raw as she tried her best to keep her tears from ruining her makeup, rubbing her eyes with her sleeves even while she pressed on with her performance._

_She couldn't help it and her voice trembled as she reached the next chorus._

..

hontou wa zutto kimi no koto o / In truth, I had already

dokoka de wakatte ita / Realized my feelings for you some time ago.

Mitsukattatte / I found them,

todoki wa shinai / but they'll never reach you.

damedayo nakanaide / "It's no use. Don't cry."

sou iikikaseta / That's what I told myself.

..

_If someone in the audience called her out as a method actor, Kanon wouldn't be able to refute him/her. Not that she could, she was just too overwhelmed with emotions as she sang the second chorus._

_She wasn't a method actor, she truly felt that way, and she couldn't refute her as she was too caught up in what she was singing._

_In her mind, in her mind's eye, actually Kanon could only see Keima standing in front of her just out of reach._

_Was it her fault that her knees weakened and she actually sank down to a kneeling position to the shock of everyone present._

_But they couldn't help her, not when she continued singing while clutching her hands to her chest again._

_One could sense it; it was her grief, regret and unhappiness hanging in the air as she sang, her heart and soul deep into the song, immersing themselves into it in her best performance ever._

_Perhaps they could relate with Kanon in some way, perhaps they understood or experienced it in some way, but even if they didn't, they had to acknowledged her now, to know that she really felt this way._

_Perhaps it's not fair to everyone else who felt this way but the moment belonged to Kanon as she was brave enough to sing it._

_That was enough._

..

tsuyogaru watashi no okubyoude / I bluffed in my faint-heartedness,

kyoumi ga nai youna furi o shiteta / Acting like I had no interest.

Dakedo / However,

mune o sasuitami wa mashiteku / That prickling pain in my chest, growing...

..

aa souka sukininarutte / Mn...that's right.

kou iu koto nan dane / Falling in love is like that.

..

_Kanon knew that the next part was a lie, at least, she was lying to the audience that she didn't tell him that. She did, she did tell him her feelings but it had been so long, she had been waiting and remembering and begging for it to be real._

_For those hazy and impossible memories to be real as she had felt something special for him some time ago._

_Kanon only knew for sure when the memories returned to her, and so was it wrong for her to say that those lyrics were really true?_

_That she didn't or couldn't know at that time that she had fallen in love with him?_

_To be fair, she wasn't around that much, but when she did, she found herself staring at him, but at the same time, ignoring him and only looking at him in the distance._

_As though it was a scar that had suddenly begun aching again, Kanon found herself crying even harder as she reached the next part._

_A much more emotional part as she continued kneeling there, her hands clutching her chest while shaking her head as she raised her voice, it sounding desperate even as the entire performance reached it's climax at least for that point._

..

_As the band played their piece, Kanon struggled to get to her feet even as the audience started chanting her name again while cheering her on. The sounds of their cheers, the cries of support and comfort from her fans seemed to give Kanon strength as she did stand up in the end, and she smiled at her audience as the spotlight fell on her and the entire hall dimmed so that all attention was on her._

_Unlike the first line where she had broke out in song suddenly, the audience was prepared for her as Kanon raised her head proudly and asked._

..

doushitai? Ittegoran / What do I want to do? Please tell me.

kokoro no koe ga suru / There was a voice in my heart.

kimi no tonari ga ii / Being beside you is enough.

shinjitsu wa zankoku da / Reality is harsh.

..

_Kanon asked the person that this song was dedicated to out loud, sounding more wistful than anything else but at the same time it seemed like she was asking the audience as well, her fans and everyone else who was listening for advise._

_To tell her what to do, what she could do and what she must do at this point._

_Her heart ached, and it wasn't just the lyrics that was affecting her, it was that group of people she could see at the edge of vision that was staring in awe that made it even harder._

..

Iwanakatta / I didn't say it.

Ienakatta / I couldn't say it.

nidoto modorenai / I'll never get another chance.

..

_She was lying now, she had said that to him but at one point in time, Kanon knew that it was quite possible that she might have ruthlessly quashed those hopes herself._

_He was special, unique and most importantly, different. So Kanon was allowed to let that smile that formed earlier to turn even more bitter as she shook her head and turned to her audience again._

_It was time to end this, to let him hear her feelings stronger than ever before. Even if she had already 'won', even if it was a forgone conclusion, she wanted him to know the extent of her feelings for him._

_There was no escaping it, she; all of her, belonged to him._

..

ano natsu no hi / That summer day

kirameku hoshi / Those sparkling stars

ima demo omoi daseruyo / Even now I still remember.

waratta kao mo / That laughing face,

okotta kao mo daisuki deshita / And that angry face, I really loved them.

okashii yo ne wakatteta no ni / Strange isn't it? Even though I knew that...

kimi no shiranai watashi dake no himitsu / You didn't know, The secret only I knew.

yoru o koete tooi omoide no kimi ga / That night long-ago In a distant memory,

yubi o sasu... mujaki na koe de / You pointed, And with an innocent voice...

..

_If her performance before had been described as emotional, it was nothing compared to this as Kanon called on those memories that had once been lost for them to fuel her regrets._

_It was that feeling that had fuelled all her regrets after all in the first place. The time that she had spent with Keima was the most important, and most significant that she ever had._

_She had met someone that truly cared for her, someone who was willing to see her as Kanon, and not the Kanon that they had projected onto her. It might seem too good to be true, and it might have happened to a lot of people in the world, but how many actually had those memories torn away from her without warning, without any explanations?_

_They were supposed to be happy memories, memories which Kanon would treasure till the end of time and she knew that she would look at them fondly even if nothing had worked out between them._

_But they just made her regret and they made her sad because until she recalled them, Keima had been that person that she was singing for._

_That's why Kanon said that it was for someone special that was in her heart._

_That's why Kanon could only mirror a very small portion of that song with her own feelings._

_That's why Kanon could still be able to sing the song with so much emotion as she could imagine Keima feeling that way. At least if Kanon was in his shoes, she would definitely feel that way._

_So she sang and she could see Keima in her eyes, a sad smile on his face that encouraged her even more as she finally finished while smiling back at her audience._

_Her make up was ruined but she didn't care and as the band struck the last note, the cheers that they got out was enough to bring down the house even as Kanon excused herself once again to compose herself._

_It was her best performance yet, and her answer to the 2B Pencils, even if her manager was going to scream at her for singing that unreleased song..._

* * *

**Author's Notes: You MUST listen to this song while reading this!**


	89. Breaking Point

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 89: Breaking Point**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, Kaiser dude for the beta as always!  
**

* * *

..

'Wow, just... wow.'

Miyako was unable to say more than that as she sat together with her friends behind the backstage. She thought she knew how good Kanon was at singing, but that was off the charts.

She could feel it, she literally could feel Kanon's emotions while she was singing, and if she wasn't sure that she was actually back-stage with her friends, she would have thought she was dreaming at the sheer power that Kanon packed in that small frame of hers.

It was a sentiment that was echoed by everyone else with her, her friends and band-mates as they all just stood in shock and awe at that one song that apparently was Kanon's best performance yet.

Even her own back-stage crew was stunned, and her manager, Okada Tomoe, who had also congratulated them on their performance, was unable to give Kanon anything more but a big smile as she welcomed her back from that once-in-a-lifetime performance.

She had a few more songs to sing but somehow, everyone knew that this was probably Kanon's best performance for a very long time. Anything else wouldn't be able to compare to the raw emotions that they felt from her song.

'You know that it's going to make promoting that song even harder now, Kanon.'

Okada Tomoe groaned while massaging her temples but she still managed to smile nonetheless as Kanon sheepishly stuck out her tongue as her make-up artists started helping Kanon look presentable again.

'Ah... Hi.'

Kanon seemed to realize that her friends or competitors were here too, and she waved at them awkwardly even as Chihiro walked up to her and clasped her hands tightly.

'That was awesome, Kanon-chan! Really, that was awesome.'

Chihiro had no qualms showering praises on her and it broke the deadlock as everyone else started congratulating her as well.

'Chihiro's right, that was totally awesome. When are you going to release the single for it?'

Miyako heard Ayumi asking Kanon even as she turned to look at Elsi as well. The sister of their love interest seemed not to be there, her eyes staring and glaring at Kanon and she sighed. Looks like the 2B Pencil's tribulations weren't really over yet, and she reached out to touch her shoulders only to flinch when Elsi shrugged her off without thinking.

That was the most unlike Elsi she had even seen her behave, and Miyako narrowed her eyes slightly before calling her name.

'Elsi-chan? Elsi?'

Repeated name calling didn't work and this time Miyako tried putting both hands on her shoulders as she knelt in front of her to get her attention. This time though it worked, and Elsi blinked for a few moments before recovering herself and asking Miyako what was wrong.

'What was wrong... Elsi, are you feeling okay?'

Keima had asked her to keep an eye on her while he made himself scarce today. It didn't seem fair for them, but hey, they survived without him for a change, even if he was the one who prepared everything for them, but that counted for something, right?

But yes, Keima had been worried about Elsi, and from the looks of things, he was right to be.

Miyako wasn't the first to know or to suspect about Elsi's growing crush with her big brother, and Miyako supposed that would be inevitable considering how much Elsi hero-worshipped her big brother.

Maybe she might do the same after seeing how awesome Keima could be at the right time and opportunity. It was even enough to make her squirm more than just a little after considering that forbidden relationship between the two of them.

Yes, that's right, it was a forbidden relationship, and Miyako was relieved to know that even Elsi knew that it was forbidden. At least, she hoped that Elsi still remembered as she could've swore that Elsi snarled a little when hearing Kanon congratulating them about their performance too.

It wasn't enough to placate Elsi at least, and she might have taken it as a challenge.

But to Chihiro though, their fearless leader seeing it as an acknowledgement and she thanked Kanon for listening to them even while saying that they had fulfilled their promises with each other too.

..

'We performed on the same stage as you did, Kanon-chan! Even if we were crashing into your concert, I hoped we did well.'

Chihiro didn't seem nervous at all, and it was a sign of her growing confidence, or perhaps the aftermath of their own emotional performances that kept her from chuckling nervously as she usually did.

'Yes, all of you did great. I didn't think that all of you could do so well. Perhaps you could consider going to be professionals as well...?'

Kanon smiled and hinted at her manager, and for the most part Okada Tomoe didn't seem too interested in the conversation between the two parties but she did go into a contemplative mood when that was raised.

'Well, I suppose it _could_ be possible seeing what I saw today, I'll consider it.'

Even as Kanon threw a bone to the 2B Pencils, she excused herself to continue her concert even as Ayumi and Chihiro just stared at her manager in disbelief even as Okada Tomoe studied all of them closely.

'Katsuragi has been doing a great job so far, and to be quite honest, I'm satisfied with your performance... perhaps we could start with a collaboration of some sorts... Kanon did say that there was one song that she wanted to perform with another group too...'

Kanon's manager considered it for a while even as the sounds of cheering could be heard from the stage behind her.

'Well, here's my card, write your details there and I'll contact all of you when we did firm something up.'

* * *

..

The odd sensation that Elsi felt every time she saw someone else with her Kami-Onii-sama was intangible at best, ticklish but really nothing that really bothered her so much as she knew that Keima would never go out with someone.

It would be against his nature, values, and words for him to do so as he was **God**. He really was **God** to Elsi, someone that she would have no problems worshipping and serving for the rest of her life.

That's why she was so upset and angry when she heard of the chance that maybe, just maybe, he might settle for being with someone in the end if it means helping and saving many other people instead.

It was something that couldn't sit well with Elsi despite that for it was something that ran contrary to what Keima himself had preached.

That he was **God**, that he was there to save the lost lambs from wherever they had gone wrong and to steer them to the right path. Even Keima's actions in potentially breaking the hearts of several other girls when he rejected Haqua-chan and Miyako-chan was proof of this.

That's why she worshipped him after all, he was someone who she could still reach and be 'hers' albeit as family as he would never allow himself to be drawn to another party.

That was his stance, absolute neutrality to all parties and she loved him for it.

She loved him, there was no concealing those feelings she felt for her Kami-Onii-sama, and even though it was wrong, she found no harm in harbouring them as long as she could hold herself back from committing the final act of affection.

It had hurt her more than anything else, she didn't think that she could honestly endure the pain that she had felt when she saw her friends confess to Keima.

But in the back of her mind, she felt happy and proud that they had also finally acknowledged the awesomeness and attractiveness of her Kami-Onii-sama. At the same time, the double-edged sword that it was hurt her badly as well.

She didn't want them to be heartbroken when Keima rejected them in the end or in the way that she was used to; having her remove their memories so they would be spared the heartbreak.

Elsi herself didn't really like or cared for what Keima was asking her to do, and she thought that she would actually like it better if Keima was a little more resolute in his decision to sever their relationships with him. But at the same time, she was happy that he was still caring and considerate to their feelings even if it might mean that they would have to go through life branded as one who toys with girls' feelings.

Elsi didn't mind, he was still her Kami-Onii-sama after all, and her Kami-Onii-sama was the most important thing in the world for her.

..

That's why she lost it when she saw Kanon kissing Keima by accident after her performance was over.

She didn't know why she lost it so easily, but in hindsight, she did know. Elsi had heard Kanon singing after all, and she knew without a doubt that she was singing that song for Keima.

Nothing could have prepared her for that song that she had performed, and even though Elsi knew first hand how emotional songs could make someone, she had cried when she had practiced their graduation song after all, she just wasn't prepared for the amount of emotional depth that Kanon had for Keima.

It sounded like she was confessing to him in private and in public at the same time, and if it stopped there, Elsi wouldn't have minded at all.

She did mind when Kanon put those thoughts into actions. That was why she had lost it; not because Keima had accepted her, she couldn't forgive that too, but Keima was her Kami-Onii-sama and she could never hurt him.

So there was only one avenue for redress left.

There was no use musing about what was right and what was wrong now that the act has been done, and Elsi acted on instinct upon that point onwards.

She would have no regrets about this, not for her Kami-Onii-sama... and even if the person was Kanon.

She couldn't forgive, she couldn't forget, she couldn't allow, and she definitely would not approve of this happening under her watch.  
The fact that the Weiss inside her agreed made it even better.

* * *

..

It had happened without warning, and honestly, Miyako was caught off guard when she heard the sounds of screaming and explosions coming from the back stage that they had just vacated.

Everything was like a blur to her, and maybe to the rest of the 2B Pencils, it was something straight out of a movie as they were suddenly pulled back to the back-stage area by one of the crew for their own safety after hearing shrieks and screams echo throughout the entire place.

Was this the school that they were in? Was this the place where just about half an hour ago, they had the gig of their lives? It just didn't seem real, and Miyako was too out of it before Haqua pinched her on the hand to wake her up.

'Oww! H-Haqua-chan!'

'Now's not the time of this. Miyako, where's Elsi?'

'Elsi? Isn't she with us?'

'No she isn't, where's Elsi!'

Haqua asked her tersely, the strain must be getting to her as she shook Miyako hard while the other people present stared at her in confusion and shock at how she looked. Haqua looked like she was about to be sick, or simply ready to kill someone as she whirled around to stare at the others around her.

'Has anyone seen Elsi? Dam nit, where is she?'

As Haqua rubbed a hand against her head to stop the headache that she was feeling, one of the crew members started exclaiming and asking about Kanon as well.

'Where's Kanon-chan? She was with us just now right? Okada-san, Okada-san, were you with her?'

'Shut up and keep calm now.'

Okada Tomoe shouted, but her voice was calm even though they could still hear the sounds of screaming and people vacating the building behind them.

Miyako had no idea what was going on now but Okada Tomoe answered that for her easily.

'Just now there was some kind of explosion of some sort coming from the hall way. It might be that a gas explosion or some kind but well, you could see that I don't really buy that.'

She deadpanned even as she pulled the stage curtains back slightly to see that there was a large hole that had been blown apart by something at the side of the auditorium.

'Gas explosion? But that's impossible...'

One of the crew exclaimed and the manager of Kanon nodded as well before saying that it was probably much worse than that.

'It could be a terrorist attack. That's probably why everyone is fleeing right now... but that's unlikely as if it has been an attack, we would have all been dead by now.'

The absolutely calm way in which Okada Tomoe was directing and speaking to the people present unnerved more than one of them, but with her around, at least they weren't panicking like the general crowd who had fled the moment whatever that was had happened.

'Although we don't know what's going on now, we don't seem to be in any immediate danger seeing that nothing has happened so far. We're at a relatively safe spot and we'll be at a risk of being stampeded to death it we try to get out now anyway.'

She seemed almost resigned at the fact, in truth she really was. With Kanon's popularity there was a reason why she needed security guards after all. She crossed her arms and clapped her hands to get all of them to pay attention to her after her assessment caused some general unhappiness and unease amongst those present.

'We're all adults here, and even if Kanon-chan isn't here, we have the responsibility to keep things going for her and to take care of those who were left behind, aren't we?'

Letting loose a long suffering sign, Okada Tomoe pointed to some stragglers who were hurt and injured during the initial rush to get out and ordered all of her staff to assist them.

'It might be a dangerous situation still, but I won't forgive myself if we were to leave them behind as adults, come along now... for all we know, it could still just be an accident.'

It was incredibly irresponsible for her to behave in this way, highlighted so when one of the staff members asked her about Kanon again.

'Shouldn't we be trying to find her? You're Kanon-chan's manager after all!'

That seemed to stir up feelings of unhappiness as well, but they settled down quickly when Okada Tomoe said that Katsuragi was with her the last time she saw her and he'll take care of her. For now they should do their responsibility as adults and not bicker about the rest.

If the 2B Pencils flinched and looked unhappy at that, they didn't show it even as the staff told them to stay at the backstage to wait while Okada Tomoe herself checked out what was going on there with a few of her crew.

It takes nerves of steel and more than just a few experiences with events like these to keep one calm despite the carnage.

So no one really blamed her when Haqua disappeared after that too.

* * *

..

'That's enough, Elsi...'

Haqua nervously confronted her best friend as she had cornered and found her on the roof. She had been expecting this, no, she knew this was going to happen in the end and to be quite honest, Haqua felt a sense of deja vu as it was similar to how Elsi had saved her the last time.

She had hostages then, people she didn't really care about and who she didn't really went about finding out who they were. New Hell had taken care of it in the end in private while dismissing her actions after she sent in her report.

This was different, Elsi had a very important person taken captive with her right now.

Nakagawa Kanon, why wasn't she surprised that the Top Idol and the one girl that had always been in Elsi's radar to be the one to tip the scales at long last?

Haqua was relieved that nothing had happened to Kanon thus far, something she credited with locating Elsi as quickly as possible after giving the others the slip.

'That's enough, let her go, Elsi.'

In her defense, Haqua knew that the Weiss inside Elsi was taking effect and well, it wasn't as impressive as the Weiss that had captured her was. It was a Level 3 after all and the Weiss that was taking control of Elsi was at most and best a Level 2. Haqua had to give props to Keima for handling the Weiss even in it's dormant stage but now that it's out, Haqua didn't have a choice.

She'll have to capture it from Elsi, plans or not.

'No, I don't want to.'

Elsi replied childishly, even as she disregarded everyone's safety and New Hell's ground rules on being discreet, and even more discreet when going through missions. Haqua then knew how badly the Weiss was affecting Elsi but was also mildly impressed, she had held out longer than she did and was still reasonable, she was just focused and obsessed.

'You did well in resisting it for so long, Elsi. You know that and I know that... so please, release Kanon-chan and we'll find a way to get it out of you.'

Haqua was being reasonable with Elsi as at least she was being reasonable herself. A part of Elsi must still exist in that Weiss-controlled demon as besides blasting the wall down down was probably the first act that the Weiss did after Elsi gave up control; she hadn't hurt anyone or done any thing that would draw attention to her.

Besides abducting Kanon anyway, and besides that, Keima was no where to be found. Haqua reasoned that it was probably Elsi herself who didn't want Keima to witness the plans that she was going to subject Kanon into.

Thankfully Kanon was unconscious as well, and it gave Haqua much more breathing room to negotiate with Elsi.

'No, I don't want to. She has to pay, Haqua-chan.'

Haqua grimaced as Elsi said that in a tone that was similar to how she described her cooking, she was absolutely excited and happy about making Kanon pay and it was enough for Haqua to hold on to her scythe a little tighter. Even if she had to hurt Elsi, it was that or to allow Elsi to break the most fundamental rule of all.

That humans can't be harmed at all costs. If Elsi did harm one of them, and she was found guilty of doing so with malicious intent, there was no doubt what would happen to her. Haqua would never see Elsi again, ever and that was something that she wanted to avoid.

'Why... would you want to do that?'

Haqua asked her best friend cautiously, even as she followed Elsi's movement as she started walking and pacing around as well. She had a nagging suspicion, but nothing concrete to build in at the moment.

'She confessed to Kami-Onii-sama, Haqua.'

That was within the realms of error, and Haqua forced a small sigh from her despite how tense she was at seeing Elsi walking past Kanon again while pacing about. Even as she kept her scythe ready, Haqua tracked the movement of the other girls she was supposed to be guarding and wasn't surprised to see where they were.

He was up to something.

..

'It wouldn't really be the first time, Elsi. After all, the rest did confess to Katsuragi didn't they?'

All Haqua could do now was to actually buy for time as Elsi tilted her head and nodded in agreement to her words. But evidently Elsi didn't agree in the end as she smiled at Haqua.

A cold and terrifying smile that almost made Haqua drop her scythe in shock at feeling the murderous intent that Elsi was emitting just by that smile alone.

It terrified her and seeing Elsi that way was enough to make Haqua question the sway in which the Weiss had on Elsi

'I guess they did... but Kami-Onii-sama accepted her.'

Elsi's answer didn't surprise Haqua at all as she knew that out of all of them, Kanon was the most unstable one.

Well, was anyway as Elsi definitely deserved that title.

'She accepted her. Why did he accept her and not me? Accept? She didn't accept her? She forced herself on Kami-Onii-sama! Forced? I could have forced him! Chihiro-chan could have forced him! Ayumi-chan could have forced him! Miyako-chan could have forced him! Haqua-chan could have forced him! Forced, forced... That's right, forced. Kami-Onii-sama must have been forced to accept her... Kanon-chan, Kanon-chan, Kanon-chan forced Kami-Onii-sama! That's right! He didn't accept her at all! Who would want to accept someone who forced others! Who steals others from others! Who made everyone unhappy because of herself. She's bad, very bad, very very very very bad. And so, I'll punish her.'

Elsi said all of that in a quiet, unassuming and absolutely cold tone that made Haqua flinch. The absolute faith and belief in herself in achieving that feat was enough to make Haqua take a step back as Elsi slowly turned to glare at Kanon.

'I'll punish Kanon-chan for being such a bad girl, neh, Haqua?'

Haqua would have stopped her, she could have stopped her really, but she paused as the door to the rooftop slammed opened and the other girls made their presence.

'Elsi!' 'Elsi-chan!' 'W-What are you doing, Elsi!'

Great, she really needed backup on this one.

* * *

**Author's Notes: Part 2 of three different releases for this week, please do support me in my other works too!**


	90. Together

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 90: Together**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser dude_ for the beta as always!**

* * *

..

For Terada Miyako, she had thought she had seen everything, but seeing Elsi that dangerous look on Elsi's face? Yeah, that was about as much as she could take in one day really, and she felt her knees wobble unconsciously as she took in the sight.

They were at the rooftop, the school grounds was being evacuated thanks to a suspected terrorist attack.

They had just came out from their first and best stage so far together with Kanon.

Speaking of Kanon, she was laying there, probably unconscious behind Elsi after disappearing from sight with Keima.

Haqua too was there and she was wielding a very convincing scythe in her hands while looking pale at how Elsi smiled earlier.

Yes, weird and from henceforth, she has seen absolutely everything.

Including how Keima had texted them to say that they should hurry to the roof of block A of the school immediately. Somehow or another, Miyako didn't find it surprising how everyone agreed to do so without even considering the validity of that statement.

Surely they could suspect that someone had attacked Keima, gotten his cellphone and then used that as a means to meet all of them.

Yes, even to Miyako that sounded ridiculous but whatever other plausible ideas there might have been, this takes the cake.

For them to actually come upon two of their friends in apparently the middle of a dangerous encounter with the Top Idol of Japan?

Yeah, that was more ridiculous then what her over-reactive imagination could ever come up with.

This was probably one of those days.

'What... are you doing, Elsi?'

Miyako asked the million-dollar question and Elsi paused before smiling at her friends again while pointing at Kanon.

'I'm going to punish Kanon-chan.'

Miyako shivered at seeing and hearing Elsi like this and she was sure that she wasn't the only one who felt that way as her fellow friends actually took a quick step back at that.

'Elsi-chan, you're scaring me... you're just joking right? Right?'

Ayumi summoned her courage to ask Elsi even as Haqua shot an aggrieved look at the two of them. They had no idea what they had stumbled into but all of them knew that it was big.

To be very honest, the other members of the 2B Pencils already suspected that there was something different about Elsi and Haqua. They managed to do some inhuman stunts more than a few times, like disappearing from sight mere seconds after they left for their homes, how they managed to get to one location to another seemingly like magic, the way that they talked about the occult and about ancient history (at least in Elsi's case) were disturbing too.

Most importantly, and the clue that they actually were something different came when they noticed Haqua staring intently at something that they couldn't see.

It would be alright just by that but when Haqua was swiping at something in front of her angrily, an act that was mimicked by Elsi a week later and they were pretty sure that they were different.

But they were friends after all, and so they had all decided to dismiss it.

..

Especially so for Ayumi and Chihiro for the two of them had already experienced a particularly odd and weird part of their own lives as a large portion of their memories was revealed to be a fake. If they didn't already suspected Keima as being someone different, they would have had a harder time believing that Haqua and Elsi were one as well.

So in retrospect, and compared to many other people who could have witnessed this, the 2B Pencils found themselves strangely calmer than they should be.

It was a mark of their friend... no, sisterhood that they had forged together. It was enough to make at least one member of their party, Terada Miyako wonder if that was Keima's plan all along.

But those ministrations could be done at a later time as Elsi shook her head and said that she was really going to punish Kanon.

'But why? Why would you want to do that? Did Kanon-chan did something bad to you?'

It was Chihiro's turn to ask their friend, and this, time Haqua actually flinched as she shook her head to stop Chihiro. It was, however, too late and Elsi mused for a while before she clapped her hands together as if in understanding.

'Ah, I see. Chihiro-chan, Ayumi-chan, Miyako-chan... all of you didn't know right?'

When Elsi said that, all three of them froze as one as they knew from instinct that it was something that they rather not hear.

It was partly from instinct, and being in the presence of cheesy soap opera, drama serials and the love for sappy movies that had accompanied them till now, it was never good when that line was uttered.

'Kanon-chan she confessed to Kami-Onii-sama.'

The three girls actually breathed a sigh of relief as Elsi revealed that as it was old news, really old news actually as compared as to the many possibilities that could develop from that onwards.

'Well, I... I confessed too.'

For some reason Ayumi confessed to confessing. Perhaps it was her feeling bad, or perhaps she felt that it was better to clear the air as she looked at Chihiro as well.

With Chihiro knowing that she expected an answer from her, the other 'normal' girl sighed and said that she confessed to Keima as well.

'Well, I know that Miyako she...'

Chihiro trailed off while looking at her friend sheepishly even as Miyako smiled and said that she considered that, but had given up in the end.

'It wouldn't be fair for the two of you.'

Miyako admitted with a sad smile and this would normally set the stage for some hugging, tears of regret and joy mixed together as all of them affirmed their friendship, but it didn't materialize.

For all of them witnessed something even more disturbing then before. From Elsi's back, an eerie black shape took form behind her even as it grew larger by the second.

'Everyone could confess to Kami-Onii-sama and only I couldn't... that's not fair. That's not fair at all. I don't like it, I really don't like it. Neh, Kami-Onii-sama why? Why can't I confess to Kami-Onii-sama? Even if I know why, it's still unfair, unfair... UNFAIR!'

Elsi screamed and in response the thing behind her expanded at an even greater rate. The only exception to that rule was how it started to wrap itself around Kanon's unconscious body like it was a hand or something.

As it, whatever it was, lifted itself up along with Kanon, the girls saw Haqua tense up even more as she tried to calm Elsi down.

'Elsi, calm down now... you don't want to really hurt Kanon-chan do you?'

It was more than surreal to see Haqua panicking slightly, but it was nothing compared to the cold and unforgiving look on Elsi's face as she said that she wanted to.

'Bad girls should be punished.'

'Kanon didn't do anything wrong, did she?'

Chihiro tried to do the same, but that was apparently the wrong question as Elsi fell silent and slowly turned to direct that look at Chihiro instead. This immediately caused Chihiro to take a nervous step back as she felt the pressure from the most loving and optimistic girl that they had ever met.

It was enough to make Chihiro sweat nervously as Elsi said that she did.

'Everyone can confess to Kami-Onii-sama... but Elsi.'

That line alone was enough to make everyone wince but Elsi brushed it aside nonetheless as it was something that she had came to terms with. Like how Miyako had surmised, everyone knew how Elsi worshipped her big brother, and having a brother complex wasn't that far-fetched in Elsi's sense. They had probably just opened up Elsi's old wound by accident, judging from her reaction.

'But Elsi knew that was wrong... Elsi wants to confess to Kami-Onii-sama too... but I know that it's impossible and it's wrong.'

It was then, in the middle of a tense showdown between Elsi and the rest of them, did Haqua's cellphone started ringing.

..

'Eh, Ah... sorry...'

With the tension momentarily dispelled while Haqua picked up the phone, the girls returned to Elsi who looked mildly annoyed at that.

At least Haqua had the decency to look embarrassed as that interruption did in fact remove and diminish the fearsome aura and pressure that Elsi was directing at everyone present, so it wasn't totally a disaster. Miyako noted too that the school grounds were empty now, and it was the final proof that she needed to tell that whatever they were involved in, it wasn't normal. But hey, that thing that was still holding the unconscious Kanon was proof enough, too, that this wasn't normal.

As Elsi dismissed Haqua, who was looking increasingly agitated at whoever was on the other side of the line, the other girls tensed as Elsi continued.

'It's wrong but Elsi knew that even if everyone in the world likes Kami-Onii-sama, Kami-Onii-sama wouldn't be able to accept. Kami-Onii-sama has his own reasons and Elsi likes that part about Kami-Onii-sama.'

The girls didn't push the point about Keima as they knew that there was probably _another_ reason that they couldn't understand as to why he couldn't go out with anyone. They did know however that Elsi wouldn't be able to explain it, at least not sufficiently for them to accept it.

'So Elsi could always be beside Kami-Onii-sama... and that would be enough for Elsi.'

Even as the girls listened to Elsi, all of them felt a sense of awkwardness due to their exposure to drama serials, soap operas and movies like mentioned before. It was starting to feel like a badly written script and for some reason they couldn't really connect with the situation for real as it... seemed surreal.

Not normal... and perhaps that's why they didn't really understand or react accordingly till Kanon gave out a cry of pain as apparently Elsi's rising emotions had in effect made whatever that was holding Kanon to apply pressure on the Top Idol.

'Kanon-chan!'

'Let her go, Elsi-chan!'

'NO! I WON'T!'

Elsi shouted again, and this time it was a like a physical wave that had struck them as the three of them winced as they felt something push them back ever so slightly.

'I WON'T! I DON'T WANT TO! I WON'T ALLOW ANYONE TO STEAL KAMI-ONII-SAMA FROM ME AGAIN!'

All three of them didn't understand what Elsi meant till they got the bombshell that Elsi dropped on all of them.

'KAMI-ONII-SAMA ACCEPTED HER!'

* * *

..

Elsewhere there was another individual who was on the line even as he was being supervised by no one else but Nikaido Yuri, the homeroom teacher of class 2-B had picked up the boy, Katsuragi Keima from the door where he had been left alone.

For the record, Nikaido Yuri actually enjoyed seeing Keima being deposited and hung up to dry by Elsi and her Weiss, the two of them had used their raiment to trap Keima in the band's club house.

It had been Yuri who had discovered him but she did not hesitate to show that she was actually searching for Keima now that _that_ happened in school. Even if Keima didn't know who Yuri worked for and how she was connected with all of this, he did know that at least for now she was on his side if she did not cut down Elsi and her Weiss where she stood.

Even if Elsi didn't actually hurt anyone yet, there was a high chance that she would do that if given enough time. The fact that Keima was given time by Yuri to wrap this all up was enough for him.

Asking for her identity could come later on as the two of them sat in the broadcast room even as Yuri leaned against her seat and watched Keima continue on with his plan.

She had no intentions to help Keima, and it was better for Keima his way. The fact was that it would have taken too much time for him to explain what he was trying to achieve and seeing her cooperate in this way was actually better for the entire plan in general.

Haqua, the girl on the line, certainly didn't think so as she struggled hard to not scream at Keima or to raise his name even while she filled Keima in on what was going on now.

The demon knew that if she did that, raising Keima's name at least, it might escalate the situation to a level where even she couldn't deal with it without hurting Keima.

'So... when are you coming to drive away the Weiss, idiot'

As Keima had the phone on speaker, Yuri laughed at that insult, but Keima simply brushed it off as he made his own preparations for this final stage that he could only activate at the right time.

'Put it on speaker, Haqua, I'll need the right timing for this... For now, continue your negotiations with Elsi.'

'Do you even think that would work? She's not listening to me!'

'It doesn't matter, what we need now is to move the 'story' along. Without it, the 'ending' can't be reached.'

Keima replied patiently even as Haqua paused, probably fighting the urge to punch her own phone before he heard her sigh again.

'Fine, Elsi's depending on you.'

* * *

..

'W-Wait, you mean Keima-kun and Kanon-chan is really?'

It was really a bombshell for the two of them, Ayumi and Chihiro as they looked at each other in shock. The other parties, Elsi, Haqua and Miyako didn't seemed too surprised by Elsi's statement and the two of them stared at Haqua and Miyako for confirmation.

When the two of them nodded in acknowledgement, Ayumi and Chihiro paled before lowering their heads sadly.

'So it's really true...'

'Katsuragi and Kanon... huh?'

To Elsi's surprise, the two of them didn't seemed too upset at it. Well, they _were_ upset, but they were simply not as agitated as Elsi thought they would be. That certainly made Elsi pause a little as Ayumi remarked that she expected that.

'I guess I just can't compare to Kanon-chan... she got her eyes on him first...'

'Ahaha, Kanon-chan is an idol after all... but actually I think I liked him since I heard of him in the first year...'

Chihiro muttered wistfully and that made Miyako and Ayumi blink in surprise before asking whether that was true.

'Yeah, I think I... did. Yeah... it's odd that I would feel that way before I knew how he is like... but I guess I have good taste in men.'

Chihiro gave herself a thumbs-up even as the other two human girls giggled in amusement.

The other two demons, however, weren't really sure what to feel about this surreal scene. Here they were on the rooftop, in a zone where they were invisible or at least undetectable to humans, were in a standoff with an idol kept hostage, and they were now discussing about how and why they were dumped by a single love interest.

Definitely not something that one would expect from the underlying tones that had developed into this. But hey, what could they say?

'All of us like Katsuragi to some degree... so I guess it's okay for me to lose to Kanon-chan.'

Chihiro spoke that unspoken statement out loud, and it was enough to at least make Haqua smile in amusement as she loosened her grip on her scythe. She had been worried that Ayumi and Chihiro would behave in a similar fashion to Kanon and be all jealous or resentful to the top idol, but it seemed that her fears were unfounded.

'… It hurts and it's disappointing but as long as Keima-kun is happy with his choice... I won't fault her... what I am upset about is that he should have told us...'

'He was going to after the gig you know.'

Miyako added in helpfully and the two of them turned on her instead, asking her why she knew about that when they didn't know themselves.

'Well.. I kind of saw Keima-kun kissing Kanon-chan so...'

Miyako waved her hands in surrender till the other two girls sighed shook their heads while apologizing to Miyako.

'It's not your fault... Miyako has always been a little closer to Katsuragi after all, I thought you were hiding things from us.'

Chihiro narrowed her eyes for a while before grinning good-naturedly at her friend, even if she was, she would probably only do that if Keima told her too.

'We're friends right, best friends.'

'No, sisters!'

The three girls smiled at each other and would have continued on if not for Elsi screaming again and catching their attention.

..

'WHY? WHY COULD YOU BEHAVE THIS WAY? KANON-CHAN, KANON-CHAN SHE... SHE, SHE!'

Elsi and her Weiss couldn't come to terms as to why the three of them seemed to just brush that news away like it was nothing when it had just shredded her heart to bits just like that. Why didn't they feel anger at the girl who had stolen the person that they loved like that?

'She's the one that Keima-kun accepted, desho?'

'If Katsuragi choose her, I can give up without regrets.'

'Katsuragi-kun is the one who decides... I can't force him to choose anyone else...'

The three of them answered without hesitation, it was like they were already prepared and resigned for it and in actuality they did do that. All of them were prepared for the day when they would lose. Logically speaking, they knew that victory for Keima's heart was impossible as Nakagawa Kanon had too much going for her regardless of looks, personality, influence, and of course her strong and undeniable feelings for Keima. She was willing to give him everything, none of them was sure that they could dedicate themselves to that extent.

The only exception to the feeling portion was Elsi as the other girls knew that out of all of them, and possibly even Kanon, they paled compared to Elsi. Elsi, would dedicate her entire life, body and soul to Keima and that was even what Kanon couldn't promise to do, not her soul but Elsi would without hesitation.

But compared to the rest, Kanon had sacrificed too much more than they were willing to pay. How could they match up to them?

Well, another part was that...

'Elsi... we, all of us... we're best friends... we're sisters... but most importantly, we're all love rivals too. I didn't want it to be this way... but I guess we are each our worst enemy.'

Chihiro had difficulty putting it to words but at least Elsi was listening now, she was paying attention to what Chihiro said as she continued slowly.

'But even with that... even if I know that Elsi, Ayumi or even Miyako did win Katsuragi's heart, I know that all of you would treasure Keima as much as I could in my shoes. I wanted... I know that I could trust Katsuragi-kun to all of you and for Kanon-chan too. We were rivals too and more than that, we liked the same person. Kanon-chan might not have said that before, but all of us knew that we were rivals, and Kanon-chan she didn't stop him from meeting us even if she could have. She acknowledged us, Elsi. Before we even performed with her, she had already acknowledged and knew that we were her rivals. Because of that, at long as it's one of us, I can still be relieved.'

'T-That's... That's not enough! Why won't all of you hate Kanon-chan?'

Elsi didn't understand, no, she did understand to an extent, but it was still a little too much for her to accept right now. Were there someone in the world who could accept such a lousy reasoning?

But if it was a lousy reasoning, why then was she faltering? Why was her will and hatred for Kanon being eroded by something so simple? That... that wasn't possible!

'If I were to hate the person that the person that I love, it would mean that I would be hating the person that I wanted to be in the first place.'

Ayumi breathed out softly as everyone's attention was placed on her as she said that.

'I wanted to be the person that Keima-kun liked and loved. If Kanon-chan is the person who Keima-kun liked and loved, then hating Kanon-chan would be hating what I have wanted to become, Elsi-chan.'

It was a circular logic to some sense, but it was enough to calm Elsi down a lot as she just shook her head in disbelief at what Ayumi was saying and the logic that it made for her.

'Elsi-chan... please stop... it's not Kanon-chan's fault nor is it Katsuragi-kun's fault...'

'Then, is it our fault? Is it my fault? My fault for letting Kanon-chan get close to Kami-Onii-sama? Is that it? Have I been the bad girl? Is it me? IS IT ME?'

Elsi was panicking, or perhaps it was her Weiss panicking as she released her hold on Kanon, and despite the idol dropping to the floor a little roughly, all of them actually gave a sigh of relief.

As compared to what could have happen then, a small bruise was nothing!

'It's not your fault, Elsi... well, I guess you could say that, it's our fault.'

'Our... fault?'

..

As if one cue, as if everything was scripted by the **Capturing God** himself, over the PA system a song was played.

It really wasn't a song, it was a melody and the melody was something that they had heard before recently.

'It's our fault for falling in love with Katsuragi.'

'Ahaha, I guess, that's true... I love Katsuragi too, Chihiro.'

Miyako didn't say her feelings out loud as she was in shock at hearing the melody that was being broadcast through the whole school. It had to be Katsuragi behind all this, it had to be, and to think that he was playing this one out of all the songs that he could pick...

The one song that he had given to all of them as a gift...

'I... I love Kami-Onii-sama too... is that... so even though I lost, even though I can't be the one that Kami-Onii-sama chooses... it's alright? It's... it's really alright?'

Elsi asked uncertainly, her eyes tearing up as she sank to her knees both in shock and disbelief. Wasn't it hard to go through life like that? To know that she lost, to know that there was someone who the person they loved liked even more?

'H-How... how can I... how can we live with that, Chihiro-chan, Ayumi-chan... i-it's... it's so hard because I don't want to lose... I.. don't want to know that I lost, Chihiro-chan...'

It was Chihiro who reached Elsi first and their fearless leader allowed Elsi to hug her with all her strength, Chihiro even grimaced a little at Elsi's grip strength. The demon girl had gotten much stronger after all her practice and lugging of that heavy bass after all.

'I don't want to lose too... but you have all of us, Elsi... you have all of us, so it's okay... we'll get through this together.'

Elsi sniffed and as she felt Ayumi and then Miyako and then Haqua's hands on her shoulders, she nodded and agreed.

'Y-Yes... t-together...'


	91. Epilogue

The World Only the Girls Know: Azalea Side

**Chapter 91: Epilogue**

**Author's Note: Characters from the Light Novels and Manga will be included as well**

..

Original Title: The World Only God Knows / 神のみぞ知るセカイ

Original Concept by Tamiki Wakaki

Written by: wrathie

* * *

**Author's Notes: Thank you, _Kaiser dude_ for beta-ing this chapter. I'll dedicate this chapter to _Furiseirei, _I hope he/she gets better soon. I'm sorry but no genders over the internetz!**

* * *

..

It came to no one's surprise that Haqua captured the Weiss without any problems at all, and with his plan working far better than he would have expected it to be, Keima made the choice to modify only the 2B Pencil's and Kanon's memories to edit out all the supernatural things that they might have seen.

_'Are you... sure about this, Katsuragi? I mean... Elsi was possessed after all...'_

_'No, it's fine. Elsi needs to know and she needs to remember. Even if it's alright if we do that as the gap in her heart is healed anyway, I want her to remember this.'_

_'Is it... a punishment for her?'_

_'No, it isn't.'_

_Keima had then gave Haqua one of those outright haughty smiles that mocked her for what she didn't understand, but surprisingly, Haqua didn't complain. His plan had worked out in the end, and just like how he said it would, the 2B Pencils were able to deal with and possibly grow stronger from the pain of their first rejection together._

_Together and forever, the 2B Pencils, that was the entity that he created to resolve this issue in the least stressful manner possible._

When asked about what memories he wanted to modify besides that, Keima had surprisingly wanted Haqua to remove the memories of him serving as Kanon and the 2B Pencils' manager. When pressed about why he wanted to do that and why he would want to give up everything he had worked for up until now. Keima would only reply that it was what he wanted.

There was no way that he would have been able to maintain the same relationship that he had built up for so long without sacrifice more than one of the girls. As painful as it might be to others, for someone like Keima, who had not even considered what he wanted from the relationship in the first place, it was nothing to him.

It had been at least a month since the start and end of the capture, but when Keima said that was just a means to an end to make sure that the Weiss never resurfaced itself, Haqua can't help but feel a little awed and disturbed by the human in front of him.

Here was a person who was willing, eager, and able to go to such an extent, to give up so many sacrifices and rewards just to accomplish his mission.

They had retained the status-quo, helped stabilize all of the girls that had regained their memories and at the same time resolve the Weiss issue. Keima had achieved what he set up to do even if he had lost the chance to be the person beside Kanon's help.

Oh yes, Keima had Haqua change the part about the 'confession' into 'admitting her feelings' for Keima.

There wasn't a doubt that eventually one day Kanon might confess to Keima again, but until then, Keima was able to preserve the status quo due to the fact that the 2B Pencils themselves gave up after discovering Kanon had feelings for Kanon and Keima not having the courage or the will to confess to Keima just yet.

As to how it happened, Haqua would rather not comment on how it was done as it wasn't her who had done it.

It was Nikaido Yuri who did it after she admitted to Keima that she was part of the grand scheme of things. When she said that she could remove Keima's own memories as well to punish him for the great risk that he had done, Keima simply shrugged and said that if she wanted to, she would have done so already.

That was enough for Yuri to refrain from doing that, but she had still removed the memories that revealed that she was part of New Hell from Haqua and Keima.

She had her own agenda here after all.

..

'We still haven't found the one who returned the memories to the girls.'

Keima mentioned suddenly to Haqua and the demon nodded even as she sat back on Elsi's desk. It had been a week since that terrorist attack during the Mai-High festival but even that wasn't enough to dampen the mood of the fans of the 2B Pencils and Kanon as the mysterious fan club website owner had subsequently uploaded sample videos of their performance and even revealed that Kanon and the 2B Pencils were going to record a song together.

'I know... but perhaps we would never find that person.'

Haqua admitted even as Keima nodded as well. There was certainly the chance that would happen but till then, they had to continue searching on.

'We've wasted too much time on this... but then we didn't have much leads anyway...'

'And any leads that we had probably had gone cold by now...'

Haqua admitted gloomily but she cheered up when the 2B Pencils entered their classroom and she waved to them happily.

'Ah, Haqua! You're all set right?'

Chihiro grinned even as she saw Haqua gesturing to where she had packed up her drum set with her beside Keima.

'You're coming with us too, Keima-kun? Thank you for your help.'

Ayumi thanked Keima even as the other girls greeted her as well. To the public, all of the 2B Pencils were very familiar with Keima despite them having no links to him besides his sister Elsi. But to each and every one of them, it was natural, it was perhaps something that they did before, something that he had helped with that they couldn't place their finger on, but they all liked him.

As in, really _liked _him. So there wasn't any reason for them to ignore or treat him badly, especially since they had the suspicions that Keima was their mysterious website owner, and who had created and managed all their different media-related accounts online.

If he wasn't going to tell them why, they weren't going to ask, and to be honest, they enjoyed his company when he dropped by to check on his sister during practises.

Katsuragi Keima was someone who they felt belong within the 2B Pencils themselves. That was something that they were certain of.

'Would you like to joins us for our recording then, Katsuragi? You should be honored that you might get to meet...'

Chihiro paused before whispering Kanon's name to him, but for some reason he didn't seem to affected by it, something that all of them were actually very happy about.

'Shall we go, Elsi?'

The younger sister of the Katsuragi household paused but then she smiled and nodded her head.

'Yes, let's go, Kami-Onii-sama!'

* * *

..

'Are you ready then?'

Kanon didn't know who wrote this song and why they all chose this song to perform together in her first collaboration, but it felt right. Whoever wrote this song was able to invoke feelings of love inside her, the person who wrote this had to be someone who really loved the person who they writing it for.

Even the Singing Wizards, who had composed and performed the melody for them couldn't shed any light for who it had been who had commissioned them to perform this song.

But it was the one where everyone, her and the 2B Pencils, wanted to perform together.

'We're born ready!'

* * *

**Ai no Yokan**

Singer: Kami Nomizo Shiri-Tai

Lyrics: Urushino Junya  
Composition: Suda Nobuhiro

Lyrics are courtesy of: / mewpudding101

* * *

..

Koi janakute ai yo Anata wo omou dake de Setsunai / It's not a crush, it's love. Just by thinking about you, I get lonely.

Mainichi no iro ga azayaka ni / The colors of everyday become vivid.

..

_It was able to invoke in all of them the feeling of love like Kanon said, and just like the lyrics when they were singing, they knew instinctively that they were singing in the stead for the one who wrote this._

_Or perhaps this was something that he left for those he had left behind, the girls that had felt something special for him but could never allow to be with him._

_A song that he gave them to comfort and remind both themselves and him that this was special, this was something that was different from the other emotions that they had experienced before._

..

Itsuka aeru to Uranai shinjite / Believing in the divination that someday we would meet,

Hadena SUKAAFU wo Mune ni kazatteta / I decorated myself with a stylish scarf.

Sora wa aokute Kotori ga saezuru / The sky is so blue, and the little birds chirp.

Nanika hajimari sou Sonna yokan suru / That gives me the premonition that something is starting.

..

_The lyrics were fitting, they were always fitting, and the 2B Pencils remembered or realized that whatever song they had performing before were the same. Was this song by the same person who had picked those songs for them?_

_Just singing it was enough to cause goosebumps to form on their arms as they felt like it was echoing what they felt for someone._

..

"Suki" to wa chigau Kono kanjou ga / This feeling is different from "like".

Otona no kaidan noboru Ippo me ne / Knowing that is the first step up the stairway to adulthood.

Kinou no watashi Mou nugisutete / I throw off the me of yesterday

Michi naru (michi naru) Sekai e (Sekai e) Atarashii tanjoubi / And I have a new birthday in the not-yet-known world.

..

_It wasn't simply liking someone and it wasn't love and all the girls that were singing found themselves unconsciously looking at each other before blushing as well. The two words and feelings were different but somehow the girls felt like due to this song they could distinctly separate the two of them now with confidence._

_The 2B Pencils hadn't changed after the concert, but perhaps that was a lie, something was missing in the mechanisms that made them tick. It wasn't something obvious but it still nagged at them nonetheless._

_It was the same with Kanon as well, and just by singing this song, it was enough to soothe their uneasiness just a little._

..

Koi janakute ai yo Dare ni mo watashitaku wa nai no / It's not a crush, it's love. I don't want to hand it over to anyone.

Hitorijime shitai Namida ga afuredasu no / I want to keep you to myself, and my teardrops overflow.

Koi janakute ai yo Anata dake ga watashi no subete yo / It's not a crush, it's love. You only are my everything.

Nichijou no oto ga kirameku no / The sounds of everyday shine.

..

_For it felt soothing and similar. They had said those words before, or had at least whispered them to themselves at least once before. It was a harsh and difficult promise that would surely cause pain, suffering, and regret on their parts but somehow._

_Once again._

_They felt that it was the right thing to do. It was the only thing they could do in the might of such feelings._

..

Kuuki mitai ni Watashi ni hitsuyou / You're necessary to me like air to breathe.

Fui ni hohoenda Egao Taisetsu yo / The smile you showed me suddenly is precious.

Kaze ga futari wo Yasashiku tsutsunde / The wind envelops us gently.

Kiseki okori souna kitai Dakishimete / I embrace the expectation of a miracle happening.

..

_Like the lyrics said, perhaps it really was a miracle and perhaps they really needed that person that they were missing._

_But then again, perhaps not... or perhaps it was this song and their own emotions that they felt that they were able to keep on going._

_Because they didn't know or couldn't remember who that person was could they keep on waiting and believing for that time when they could remember._

_No matter how harsh or how painful it was, they could stand it. Because like what it read..._

..

"Suki" yori motto Atsui kimochi ga / A feeling hotter than "like"

Osakirenai kurai ni Tokimeku no / Makes my heart beat so much I can't hold it back.

Modokashii koi Mou tsugi no Stage / An impatient love already goes on to the next stage

Tsunagaru (Tsunagaru) Ashita e (Ashita e) Atarashii kinenbi ne / And connects to tomorrow to make a new anniversary.

..

_It was a feeling that they couldn't ignore, something that consumed them from the inside out as they sang together and yet separate at the same time. All of them had different experiences, different reasons, and different expectations for the person that they were missing. But there was no reason for them to ignore and to hate each other._

_They all felt something for him..._

..

"Koi janakute ai yo Kimi ni todoketai no wa Motto / "It's not a crush, it's love. What I want to reach to you more is

Hateshinai KIMOCHI dakishime Mitsumetai no" / This endless feeling I embrace. I want to gaze at you."

Koi janakute ai yo Anata wo omou dake de Setsunai / It's not a crush, it's love. Just by thinking about you, I get lonely.

Mainichi no iro ga azayaka ni / The colors of everyday become vivid.

..

_They wanted to see him, they could feel it in their hearts, and yet at the same time they couldn't ignore the fact that perhaps they were already looking at him all the time._

_He was close by, the person that they all liked was there standing in front of them behind the screen, and just that was enough._

..

Koi janakute ai yo Dare ni mo watashitaku wa nai no / It's not a crush, it's love. I don't want to hand it over to anyone.

Hitorijime shitai Namida ga afuredasu no / I want to keep you to myself, and my teardrops overflow.

Koi janakute ai yo Anata dake ga watashi no subete yo / It's not a crush, it's love. You only are my everything.

Nichijou no oto ga kirameku no / The sounds of everyday shine.

..

_The song was harder than they thought to sing, and it wasn't because it was hard to sing per-se._

_It was hard to keep themselves from being emotional just singing as it awakened memories inside them that they didn't want to admit right now in front of each other._

_But that was only for a moment as they realized that it wasn't just each other that was affected. All of them were affected in some way and they gathered together to sing the last portion of the song._

_A song they were sure to express their feelings to the person who they liked, and most possibly wrote for them as well._

..

Koi janakute ai yo Zettai ushinaitaku wa nai no / It's not a crush, it's love. I absolutely don't want to lose

Ima made no hito to Nanika ga chigau DESTINY / The person I've become up till now and this destiny that has something different about it.

Koi janakute ai yo Anata wo omou dake de Setsunai / It's not a crush, it's love. Just by thinking about you, I get lonely.

Aishiteru Dareyori mo Aishiteru I love you Kokoro kara / I love you. I love you more than anyone. I love you from my heart.

(aiyai-aiyai)

..

_It wasn't fair, it just... wasn't fair for him to make them all sing this line together while so emotional. Perhaps it was what he wanted as well, to make all of them express themselves willingly and openly to themselves, all of them rivals for the same person's heart as Katsuragi Keima stared back at them solemnly from behind the glass of the recording room._

_If they weren't sure that their songs had reached him before, they definitely knew now as he smiled at them, a real sincere smile that left all of them shellshocked and embarrassed as he excused himself and left the room._

* * *

..

There was only one thing left to say about this whole incident, and it's all about Elsi.

The main character of the story, really, the main reason why all this happened in the first place.

She might have ended up with a Weiss inside her, but do not question the validity of her statement. She _is_ the heroine of this story and the story itself in the first place. For without her, there wouldn't be a beginning.

So, this part is dedicated to her, to what she said to her savior, her hero, and her god.

Katsuragi Elsi, the demon from New Hell, the partner for Katsuragi Keima the **Capturing God**.

'Thank you for saving me, Katsuragi Keima-san.'

The little demon thanked the stranger that she had formed a pact with with a small kiss that same night that she had been saved. Not one between a demon and a human, nor between a brother and a sister, or not even between a rescuer and her savior.

It was between two partners who would continue on tomorrow as if this never happened. Not because they didn't take this incident into consideration, nor did they not care.

They had gone through too much together to care, individuals who had seen and witnessed each other's exploits, and in the end, the only two individuals who could prove each other's existence and accomplishments to each other.

'I'll be... in your care tomorrow too.'

The demon ignored the flushed cheeks on her face and his as she excused herself as quickly as she had came to him in the first place.

For this was the World not just the Girl or the God knows, but the World that only the _Two_ of them knew.

* * *

..

**Author's Notes: There are two author notes this time around. Firstly would be my own personal notes at this point of time and the other when I first finished this chapter!  
**

**But feel free to tl;dr after my request: Please, do drop a review tell me how you felt about this ending. It's what I envisioned it to be, at least as much as I could do at that moment of time. And, and, a new poll is up! Please do it!  
**

**As an author, I'm loathe to go back and fix it unless it has flaws or discrepancies so... your comments and thoughts would really help me know if I got my message across.  
**

**Lastly, a big thank you to all of my loyal readers for being with me for this long, long, LONG journey. It's a rite of passage for me in a sense and I'll be working on other projects on hand, notably my Persona fic: Piecing the Fragments. Moonflower's Wish will be continued on it's usual pace, I have grand plans for it.  
**

**But if I won't see you, the reader, in those other works, I hope that we would see each other again in the future. To those who would continue to support me, thank you, all of you for giving me a reason to write!  
**

**-regards  
**

**wrathie  
**

**08/02/13  
**

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**Author's Notes: 2nd Ver.  
**

**It's... Chapter 91 and I FINALLY FINISHED THIS STORY On 29/12/12****2 days before the second year anniversary to The World Only God Knows: Azalea Side.**

**Honestly, honestly, honestly, I can't believe I finished it and I can't believe that I managed to get this story to 91 chapters.**

**It SHOULD have ended around chapter 60 or so but I guess I was having lots of fun just expanding it all.**

**On to my thoughts with all this, it has been a great honor to finish this story, not mentioning having all of my loyal readers, supporters and beta-readers being there for me.**

**Even if I did whine a lot about reviews and all that, it's true that without them I wouldn't have gotten the drive to finish this story.**

**Special thanks to my betas goes to **_**Kaiser dude**_** for being there from the middle to the end, **_**dongaro**_** my good pal who did help develop some of my style, **_**Wolf's Honour **_**for being such a great friend to discuss my works with when I'm feeling a little locked up.**

**To my reviewers too, **_**A Meandering Ghostie, **_**you might be blunt but I needed that and a few others who have been around for quite a long time! I appreciate all your support but I couldn't possible name all of you without making this AN too long. Notable mentions for _Furiseirei_ and _Sacchin _ who has been there for a very long time!  
**

..

**Come to think of it, this is only my second Fanfic that I actually finished it, the first being The Shrine of Gensokyo, what I consider my maiden work, go figure. I do apologize for all of my other fans of my work, but I can't see myself finishing a bulk of them at this current rate.**

**TWOGK: AZ has seen a lot of changes, most notable my change in style from SoG to what you see now today. Even when I read through my older chapters, I find myself cringing and laughing in disbelief at how I wrote before and how I am writing now.**

**Whether it is a good or a bad thing, I'm not sure myself.**

**I'm pretty sure that the last chapter would be published when I actually get swamped with IRL, I'm starting university/college and working at the same time so you can expect a lot less from me.**

**Thankfully due to other reasons and other stories, I'm sure that I'm able to provide all of you with TWOGK works for a while at least, so don't worry! Though my betas should worry.. fufuufuu.**

..

**As for my thoughts to Azalea Side, I think... in the end it ended up being less violent than I thought I wanted it to be but the ending ended being the style of AZ, with the symbolism of a song. Ai No Yokan is a song that was released when I was half way into the story and when I heard it for the first time, I KNEW that it was the song that I wanted inside it.**

**Koi No Shirushi might be awesome, it still is but Ai No Yokan is still my favorite and I hoped all of you enjoyed it.**

**The entire process has been such a nightmare and an experiment gone wrong for me that I'm still AMAZED that I actually could finish it without giving up half way.**

**I admit that having Miyako being so popular really surprised me and that I would actually break and not break my own personal rule of letting Keima be with any girl, (I broke that with Sorrel's Teasing but I digress), so in many ways once again my own story rebelled against it's own creator.**

**If I have to admit something it would be that out of all the stories, Azalea Side is one of my least favorites despite it being the one that started it all. It was something that dragged on a lot, it had a lot of failed ideas (I screwed up the Ayumi being hurt scene so bad) but at the same time it was one that I knew I had to finish. If I didn't I'll never forgive myself for it.**

**So whatever my readers might say about the ending, it's one that I'm happy with, one that I actually think is better than what I had planned for so you'll have to accept it.**

**As to why Elsi of all people, I think that Elsi has been given a very harsh deal... and there were signs that Elsi could actually like Keima during the first capture with Ayumi.**

**Normally I'm not a sister x brother fan but to be perfectly honest, Elsi is my favorite of the TWOGK girls even if I DID say that Minami is my fave girl to ship Keima with.**

**But Elsi is the one girl who has a different role in all my stories, regardless of AZ, ST, BRP or MW. In a way, Elsi is the one who shapes Keima's world the most. I hope you enjoyed my version of Elsi and Keima's dynamics!**

..

**As to my way forward, I'm about to make a shocking confession here.**

**Azalea side is actually part of a trilogy and is the first instalment, hence there isn't going to be any big hunt for the culprit yet.**

**Sorrel's Teasing is the sister story and the second part of the trilogy and it would give serious hints as to who was involved.**

**The last part of the trilogy, tentatively named Daffodil's Longing is the one who would reveal the one who had helped the girls regain their memories right off the block.**

**But with my writer's block for ST due to how negative the story is, I'm unsure as to my way ahead for the trilogy so we'll see how it goes.**

**As for my other stories, specifically Moonflower's Wish, I hope you'll enjoy it and support it! It'll be great if I could see all of you guys in my other endeavor.**

**Till the next time we meet!**

**-wrathie winsre**

**29/12/12 1808hrs**


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